Chromophores, sunscreen compositions and methods for preventing sunburn

A sunscreen compound having the structure:

• X-B-Z
• wherein
• (a) --X is a UVA-absorbing moiety selected from the group consisting of those having the structures:
• ##STR15## (b) --Z is a UVB-absorbing moiety having the structure:
• ##STR16## (c) --B-- is a single bond or a linking group selected from --O-- and --NR--;
• wherein, in the above structures, --A is selected from the group consisting of --R, --OR, --NR.sub.2 and --SO.sub.3 H or its pharmaceutically-acceptable salt or ester;
• --A.sup.1 is --CN or --CO.sub.2 R.sup.1 ;
• --A.sup.2 is --OR or --NR.sub.2 ;
• --A.sup.3 is --H or --OH;
• --A.sup.4 and --A.sup.5 are, independently, --R or --OR, and wherein further either --A.sup.3 or --A.sup.4 must be --OH;
• --A.sup.6 is --H or --SO.sub.3 H or its pharmaceutically-acceptable salt or ester;
• --R.sup.1 is straight or branched chain alkyl having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms;
• and each --R is independently selected from the group consisting of --H, straight or branched chain alkyl having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m H, and --(CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)O).sub.m H, wherein m is an integer from 1 to about 8.