Compounds of the formula STR1 where R1 and R2 are hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1-6 carbons, or halogen; R3 is hydrogen, lower alkyl of 1-6 carbons, halogen, OR11, SR11, OCOR11, SCOR11, NH2, NHR11, N(R11)2, NHCOR11 or NR11 COR11 ; X is O, S or NR' where R' is hydrogen or lower alkyl of 1-6 carbons; Y is phenyl or a heteroaryl group selected from a group consisting of pyridyl, thienyl, furyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, thiazolyl and oxazolyl; A is (CH2)n where n is 0-5, lower branched chain alkyl having 3-6 carbons, cycloalkyl having 3-6 carbons, alkenyl having 2-6 carbons and 1 or 2 double bonds, alkynyl having 2-6 carbons and 1 or 2 triple bonds; B is hydrogen, COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, COOR8, CONR9 R10, --CH2 OH, CH2 OR11, CH2 OCOR11, CHO, CH(OR12)2, CHOR13 O, --COR7, CR7 (OR 12)2, or CR7 OR13 O, where R7 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl group containing 1 to 5 carbons, R8 is an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons, or R8 is phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R9 and R10 independently are hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons, or a cycloalkyl group of 5-10 carbons, or phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R11 is lower alkyl, phenyl or lower alkylphenyl, R12 is lower alkyl, and R13 is divalent alkyl radical of 2-5 carbons, have retinoid-like biological activity.