Abstract
Under alkaline conditions aminomethylphosphonic acid reacts with hydroxymethylsulfonic-and hydroxymethylsulfinic acid to give N-phosphonylmethyl-amino-methylsulfonic-, 1, Na2O3PCH2NHCH2SO3Na, and N-phosphonylmethyl-aminomethylsulfinic acid trisodium salt, 2, Na2O3PCH2NHCH2SO2Na, respectively. Glyphosate also interacts with the sulfur compounds and yields N-hydroxysulfonylmethyl- and N-hydroxysulfinylmethyl-glyphosate, 3,Na203PCH2N(CH2SO3Na)CH2C02Na and 4, Na2O3PCH2N(CH2SO2Na)CH2CO2Na, respectively. Whereas 1 and 2 are biologically not active, 3 and 4 show herbicidal activity in post-application which is by a factor of 2 weaker than that of glyphosate.