N-chloro chloroalkanamides or chloro hydrocarbyl substituted alkanamides of the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.4 is alkylene or chloroalkylene of 1 to 5 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrogen, chlorine, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkaryl of up to 8 carbon atoms or aryl of up to 8 carbon atoms, have been found useful as herbicides. Preferably n is 0 and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrogen chlorine, phenyl or alkyl or 1 to 2 carbon atoms. Most preferably R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrogen or chlorine.