| abstract |
The invention provides coumarin derived compounds of formula (I) as skin lightening agents alone or in combination with other skin benefit agents and together with a cosmetic vehicle : formula (I). Where each or both R1 and/or R2 represents hydrogen (H); linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, acyl, or heteroalkyl (preferably, alkoxy) groups; and R3 represents linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, C1-C12 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, or heteroalkyl group; R5 represents a hydrogen atom (H), or R4; and R4 represents linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, containing or not containing a heteroatom, C1-C22 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group. The compounds, compositions and methods have effective skin lightening properties, may be less irritating to the skin, and are cost-effective and relatively simple to manufacture. Also provided are processes for making the compounds of general formula (I) from 4-substituted-7-hydroxy coumarin derivatives. |