Method of treatment with compounds having retinoid-like activity and reduced skin toxicity and lacking teratogenic effects

A compound of the formula ##STR18## where R.sub.1 is lower alkyl, Cl, Br, or I;

• R.sub.2 is H, lower alkyl, Cl, Br, or I;
• R.sub.3 is lower alkyl, Cl, Br, I, OR11, SR.sub.11, OCOR.sub.11, SCOR11, NH.sub.2, NHR.sub.11, N(R.sub.11).sub.2, NHCOR.sub.11, or NR.sub.11 --COR.sub.11 ;
• R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 independently are H, lower alkyl, Cl, Br, I, lower alkoxy or lower thioalkoxy of 1 to 6 carbons;
• A is (CH.sub.2).sub.n where n is 0-5, lower branched chain alkyl having 3 to 6 carbons, cycloalkyl having 3 to 6 carbons, alkenyl having 2 to 6 carbons and 1 or 2 double bonds, alkynyl having 2 to 6 carbons and 1 or 2 triple bonds;
• B is COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR.sub.8, CONR9R.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.sub.7, CR.sub.7 (OR.sub.12).sub.2, or CR.sub.7 OR.sub.13 O, where R.sub.7 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 alkyl of 1 to 10 carbons, phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R.sub.12 is lower alkyl, and R.sub.13 is divalent alkyl radical of 2-5 carbons;
• R.sub.20 is independently H or lower alkyl, and
• Y.sub.1 is thienyl, furyl or pyridyl.