Alcoholic beverage substitutes

A beverage comprising an alcohol-free base liquid and a compound represented by Formula I:

• wherein:
• each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C2-C8)alkynyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heteroalicyclic, —O(C1-C8)alkyl, OH, —OSO2CF3, —OSO2—(C1-C8)alkyl, —SOR5, —CO2R5, —CONR5R6, —COR5, —CF3, CN, —SR5, —SO2NR5R6, —SO2R5, —OCO—(C1-C8)alkyl, —NCO—(C1-C8)alkyl, —CH2O—(C1-C8)alkyl, —(C1-C6)alkyl-OH, —NHSO2R5, and halogen, or, alternatively, R1 and R2 together with two or more of the phenyl carbon atoms form a —X1—(CR5R6)m—X2— ring, wherein each of X1 and X2 is independently selected from C, O, NH or S and m is 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• each of R3 and R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C2-C8)alkynyl, (C3-C8) cycloalkyl, and —(CH2)p-thienyl, wherein p is 1, 2, 3, or 4, or alternatively, R3 and R4 are joined together to form a heterocylic ring (heteroalicyclic or heteroaryl) containing the nitrogen atom to which they are attached;
• and
• each of R5 and R6 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl and aryl;
• or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof,
• which an amount of said compound is an amount that imparts to the beverage a psychotropic effect, palatability and/or pleasures of drinking provided by an alcoholic beverage having alcohol in an amount of 2% to 30% by volume.

A process for the preparation of an alcoholic beverage substitute, the process comprising mixing a base liquid with a compound represented by Formula I:

• wherein:
• each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C2-C8)alkynyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heteroalicyclic, —O(C1-C8)alkyl, OH, —OSO2CF3, —OSO2—(C1-C8)alkyl, —SOR5, —CO2R5, —CONR5R6, —COR5, —CF3, CN, —SR5, —SO2NR5R6, —SO2R5, —OCO—(C1-C8)alkyl, —NCO—(C1-C8)alkyl, —CH2O—(C1-C8)alkyl, —(C1-C6)alkyl-OH, —NHSO2R5, and halogen, or, alternatively, R1 and R2 together with two or more of the phenyl carbon atoms form a —X1—(CR5R6)m—X2— ring, wherein each of X1 and X2 is independently selected from C, O, NH or S and m is 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• each of R3 and R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C2-C8)alkynyl, (C3-C8) cycloalkyl, and —(CH2)2-thienyl, wherein p is 1, 2, 3, or 4, or alternatively, R3 and R4 are joined together to form a heterocylic ring (heteroalicyclic or heteroaryl) containing the nitrogen atom to which they are attached;
• and
• each of R5 and R6 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl and aryl;
• or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof.