Substituted phenylethenyl compounds having retinoid-like biological activity

A compound of the formula ##STR10## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently are hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 to 6 carbons, halogen or lower alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbons;

• R.sub.5 and R.sub.5 ' independently are hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1 tp 6 carbons or halogen;
• Y is S;
• Z is n-alkyl having 2 to 10 carbons, cyclo or branch-chained alkyl of 3 to 10 carbons, and straight chain alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbons, or cyclo or branched chained alkenyl of 3 to 10 carbons, and the Z-Y substituent is in a 1,2 (ortho) or 1,3 (meta) position on the phenyl ring relative to the ethene moiety;
• 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 to 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, CONR.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.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.

A compound of the formula ##STR11## wherein R.sub.4 is hydrogen or lower alkyl;

• R.sub.5 and R.sub.5 ' independently are hydrogen or lower alkyl;
• Z is n-alkyl having 1 to 10 carbons, cyclo or branch-chained alkyl of 3 to 10 carbons, and straight chain alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbons, or cyclo or branched chained alkenyl of 3 to 10 carbons and the Z-S substituent is in a 1,2 (ortho) or 1,3 (meta) position on the phenyl ring relative to the ethene moiety;
• n is is an integer between 0 to 5, and
• B is H, COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR.sub.8, CONR.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.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.