Abstract: A versatile methodology to obtain efficient catalytic materials suitable for selective, liquid-phase oxidations of alcohols is described. Solid inorganic membranes were prepared by the sol-gel procedure by adding a solution of stable organic nitroxyl radicals at the onset of the polymerization of silicon alkoxide monomers. In this way, micro- and mesoporous materials can be obtained that axe effective and recyclable catalytic mediators for highly selective oxidations of a vast class of primary and secondary alcohols carried out with several primary oxidants. Delicate substrates such as carbohydrates and allylic alcohols can selectively be oxidized with these novel catalytic materials.

Abstract: The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one .alpha.-halogenated dicarboxylic acid of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein Hal is a chlorine, bromine or fluorine atom, R is a hydrogen atom or Hal and m is a number of from 4 to 16, and/or at least one pharmacologically acceptable salt, ester or amide thereof.The present invention also provides new compounds of general formula (I) but in which m is a number of from 8 to 16 and processes for the preparation thereof.