3-(2-Alkoxycarbonyloxy-Phenyl) Acrylic Acid Esters and Their Use as Precursors for the Delivery of Olfactory Compounds

Use of a compound of formula (I) as precursor for olfactory compounds compound

• wherein the acrylic acid ester double bound is of the E configuration;
• n is zero or 1;
• Y is —CR5R6R7, wherein R5, R6 and R7 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R5+R6+R7) is not greater than 18;
• or
• Y is —CR5R6R7, wherein R5, R6 and R7 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more atoms/groups selected from O, N and C(O), and the sum of all carbon atoms (R5+R6+R7) is not greater than 18;
• or
• Y is —CR8═CR9R10, wherein R8, R9 and R10 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue, the geometry of the enol double bond is E or Z, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R8+R9+R10) is not greater than 18;
• or
• Y is —CR8═CR9R10, wherein R8, R9 and R10 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more atoms/groups selected from O, N and C(O), the geometry of the enol double bond is E or Z, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R8+R9+R10) is not greater than 18;
• R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy residue, —NH2, —NO2, —NHCO2CH3, —N(C1-C6 alkyl)2, —N(hydroxyalkyl)2, —NHC(O)—(C1-C8 alkyl) or —NHC(O)—(C3-C8 aryl);
• or
• R2 and R3 are attached at the positions C(6,7), C(7,8), or C(8,9), and form together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached a dioxolane ring or a dioxane ring;
• R4 in 2- or 3-position is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C4 alkenyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, or —CN;
• and
• a) if n is zero, R is a C1-C24 hydrocarbon residue, or C1-C24 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and Si;
• or
• b) if n is 1, R is a C1-C25 hydrocarbon residue, a C1-C25 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more atoms/groups selected from N, O, Si, and C(O), or C1-C25 hydrocarbon residue substituted by an ionic substituent of the formula N(R20)3+, in which R20 is the residue of an alkyl group with 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• or
• R is a monovalent residue of the formula (i)
• wherein
• X is —CR14R16R16, wherein R14, R15 and R16 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R14+R15+R16) is not greater than 18;
• or
• X is —CR14R15R16, wherein R14, R15 and R16 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more atoms/groups selected from O, N and C(O), and the sum of all carbon atoms (R14+R15+R16) is not greater than 18;
• or
• X is —CR17═CR18R19, wherein R17, R18 and R19 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue, the geometry of the enol double bond is E or Z, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R17+R18+R19) is not greater than 18;
• or
• X is —CR17═CR18R19, wherein R17, R18 and R19 are independently hydrogen or a C1-C18 hydrocarbon residue containing one or more atoms/groups selected from O, N and C(O), the geometry of the enol double bond is E or Z, and the sum of all carbon atoms (R17+R18+R19) is not greater than 18;
• R12 and R13 are independently hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy residue, —NO2, —NH2, —NHCO2CH3, —N(C1-C6 alkyl)2, —N(hydroxyalkyl)2, —NHC(O)—(C1-C8 alkyl) or —NHC(O)—(C3-C8 aryl);
• or
• R12 and R13 are attached at the positions C(vi,vii), C(vii,viii), or C(viii,ix), and form together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached a dioxolane ring or a dioxane ring;
• R11 in ii- or iii-position is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C4 alkenyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, or —CN.