Sweetening agents

A sweetening agent having the formula, ##STR122## including tautomeric forms thereof and physiologically acceptable salts thereof;

• wherein X.sub.3, X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of
• H,
• Br,
• CF.sub.3,
• CF.sub.2 CF.sub.3,
• CH.sub.2 CF.sub.3,
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl
• CH=NOCH.sub.3,
• CH=NOH,
• CHO,
• CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.3,
• CH.sub.2 OH,
• Cl,
• CN,
• COCF.sub.3,
• COC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• CONH.sub.2,
• CONHC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• CON(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl).sub.2,
• COOC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• COOH,
• F,
• I,
• NH.sub.2,
• NHC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl).sub.2,
• NHCHO,
• NHCOCH.sub.3,
• NHCONH.sub.2,
• NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3,
• NO.sub.2,
• OC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• OCOCH.sub.3,
• OH,
• SC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• SOC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• SO.sub.2 C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• SO.sub.2 NH.sub.2,
• SO.sub.2 NHC.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl,
• SO.sub.2 N(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl).sub.2, and
• SO.sub.3 H;
• wherein A is selected from the group consisting of N and C;
• wherein R.sub.1 is an atom of hydrogen or R.sub.1 is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 saturated, unsaturated, acyclic, cyclic or mixed hydrocarbyl or modified hydrocarbyl group and wherein, in the modified hydrocarbyl group,
• 1to 2 atoms of carbon may be replaced by 1 to 2 of the same or different heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, Cl, Br and I, and 1 to 3 atoms of hydrogen may be replaced by 1 to 3 atoms of fluorine;
• wherein R.sub.2 is a C.sub.2 to C.sub.13 saturated, unsaturated, acyclic, cyclic or mixed hydrocarbyl or modified hydrocarbyl group and wherein, in the modified hydrocarbyl group,
• 1 to 4 atoms of carbon may be replaced by 1 to 4 of the same or different heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, Cl, Br and I,
• and 1 to 5 atoms of hydrogen may be replaced by 1 to 5 atoms of fluorine;
• wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are different unless fused as a single moiety;
• wherein R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl;
• and p1 wherein R.sub.4 is selected from the group consisting of H and CH.sub.3 ;
• with the proviso that, when X.sub.3, X.sub.5, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are atoms of hydrogen,
• and when X.sub.4 is CN or NO.sub.2, that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are not CN or OCH.sub.3 ;
• and when X.sub.4 is H, CF.sub.3, CHO, Cl, CN, COCH.sub.3, F or NO.sub.2, that R.sub.1 is not NO.sub.2, SOCH.sub.3 or SOC.sub.2 H.sub.5, and that R.sub.2 is not NO.sub.2, SOR, SO.sub.2 R, SO.sub.2 NHR or SO.sub.2 N(R).sub.2,
• R being an alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl group having up to 10 atoms of carbon, or such a group wherein 1 or 2 carbon atoms are substituted by 1 or 2 atoms of sulfura or oxygen.