Acetylenes disubstituted with a heteroaromatic group and a 2-substituted chromanyl, thiochromanyl or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolinyl group having retinoid-like activity

Compounds of the formula ##STR10## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrogen or lower alkyl;

• R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are hydrogen or lower alkyl with the proviso that R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 both are not hydrogen;
• n is an integer between 0 to 5, and B is COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR.sub.8, COONR.sub.9 R.sub.10, --CH.sub.2 OH, CH.sub.2 OR.sub.11, CH.sub.2 OCOR.sub.11, CHO, CH(OR.sub.12).sub.2, CHOR.sub.13 O, --COR', CR'(OR.sub.12).sub.2, or CR'OR.sub.13 O, where R' is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl group containing 1 to 5 carbons, R.sub.8 is an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or R.sub.8 is phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 independently are hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.11 is lower alkyl, phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.12 is lower alkyl, R.sub.13 is divalent alkyl radical of 2-5 carbons.

Compounds of the formula ##STR11## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are hydrogen or lower alkyl;

• R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are hydrogen or lower alkyl with the proviso that R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 both are not hydrogen;
• n is an integer between 0 to 5, and
• B is COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR.sub.8, COONR.sub.9 R.sub.10, --CH.sub.2 OH, CH.sub.2 OR.sub.11, CH.sub.2 OCOR.sub.11, CHO, CH(OR.sub.12).sub.2, CHOR.sub.13 O, --COR", CR"(OR.sub.12).sub.2, or CR"OR.sub.13 O, where R" is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl group containing 1 to 5 carbons, R.sub.8 is an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or R.sub.8 is phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 independently are hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.11 is lower alkyl, phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.12 is lower alkyl, R.sub.13 is divalent alkyl radical of 2-5 carbons.