Abstract: The invention relates to nitroalkanol derivatives of the general formula (I), ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a C.sub.2-12 alkenyl or alkadienyl group, a C.sub.4-12 alkoxyalkyl or alkoxyalkenyl group having one or more C.sub.1-3 alkyl substituents, a C.sub.3-6 cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl group, a furyl group, a nitrofuryl group, or a phenyl group having optionally one or more identical or different substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy, halogen, nitro, C.sub.1-4 alkylenedioxy and C.sub.1-4 alkenoyloxy groups,R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 each represent hydrogen or they form together a valence bond,R.sub.3 is a C.sub.1-12 alkanoyloxy group, a benzoyloxy group having optionally one or more halogen substituents or hydrogen atom, andR.sub.5 is a C.sub.1-12 alkyl group or a phenyl group having optionally one or more halogen substituents,with the proviso that if R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 each stand for hydrogen, R.sub.1 is other than unsubstituted phenyl and R.sub.3 may represent only a C.sub.