Pharmaceutical compositions acting on the metabolism which contain as active derivatives of the 4-hydroxy-3,5-di-akylphenyl-propionic acid corresponding to the formula I and II ##EQU1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 which may be identical or different, each stands for an alkylradical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 stands for an alkylene radical having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, X stands for hydroxy, alkoxy having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, phenalkoxy having 1 to 4 alkyl carbon atoms, cycloalkoxy having 5 to 8 carbon atoms, --NR.sub.4 R.sub.5 in which R.sub.4 stands for an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sub.5 stands for a hydrogen atom or R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 may form with the nitrogen atom a heterocyclic six-membered ring which may carry another hetero atom and n is an integer from 2 to 4 and process for preparing them.
Compounds of the general formula ##STR1## in which n represents an integer from 2 to 6, preferably 2 or 3, m represents an integer from 1 to 6, preferably 1 to 3, R represents --C(CH.sub.3).sub.3 and X represents hydrogen or the group ##STR2## are used as core discoloration preventing agents in a process for the production of isocyanate-based foams.
Phenolic amides, useful as stabilizers for organic materials such as polyols and polyurethanes, possess the general formula ##STR1## wherein n is 0 to 3, R.sub.1, is alkyl of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 is hydrogen or alkyl of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl of up to about 20 carbon atoms, optionally containing one or more heterocyclic groups, R.sub.4 is hydrocarbyl of up to about 20 carbon atoms, optionally containing one or more heterocyclic groups, or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded are joined together to form a heterocyclic group, optionally containing one or more additional heterocyclic atoms.
