Chroman esters of phenols and benzoic acids having retinoid-like activity

A compound of the formula ##STR14## wherein the R.sub.1 -R.sub.7 groups are independently H or straight chain lower alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbons or branched chain lower alkyl or cycloalkyl groups of 3 to 6 carbons;

• X is --COO--;
• Y is cycloalkyl or branched chain alkyl group of 3 to 6 carbons, or is (CH.sub.2).sub.n where n is an integer between 0 to 6, and
• Z is H, OH, OR', OCOR', --COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester or amide thereof, --CH.sub.2 OH --CH.sub.2 OR', CH.sub.2 OCOR', or --CHO CH(OR.sub.8).sub.2, CHOR.sub.9 O, or --COR' or CR'(OR.sub.8).sub.2, or CR'OR.sub.9 O where R' is an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbons, cycloalkyl group containing 3 to 6 carbons, or alkenyl group containing 2 to 6 carbons, or a phenylalkyl, or phenyl group and where R.sub.8 is lower alkyl, and R.sub.9 is a divalent alkyl radical of 2 to 5 carbons.