[Synthesis of several phenoxymethylphenyl derivatives with local-anesthetic activity (author's transl)]

1. Several 4-phenoxymethyl-procaine derivatives (IV) were synthetised in order to investigate the influence of the intermediate chain on the activity. 2. By replacing the CH2-CH2-group in fomocain by a COO-group we succeeded in doubling the efficacy of this local anesthetic. 3. The type and position of the hetero atoms, N,S and O in the intermediate chain of the procaine (I), xylocaine (II), cinchocaine (III) and phenoxymethyl-procaine (IV) series have in each of these series quite a different effect due to the structural specificity of the remaining part of the molecule. 4. Other examples confirm the significance of the ester group in the intermediate chain for the liposolubility and reactivity. In ketones these properties are altered unfavourably.