Novel 2,4-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-6-nitrophenol compounds of the formula ##SPC1##In whichX is hydrogen; M; HN.sup.+R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 ; --COR.sup.4 ; --COOR.sup.5 ; N,N-dimethylaminocarbonyl; --SO.sub.2 R.sup.6 or --CO--NH--R.sup.7 ;M is an equivalent of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal,R.sup.1, r.sup.2 and R.sup.3 (individually) are hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyalkyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl,R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 individually are alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl,R.sup.6 is alkyl, substituted alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl or dimethylamino, andR.sup.7 is alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl; are outstandingly effective selective herbicides.