1,2-DISUBSTITUTED AROMATIC CHELATES

Mineral absorption is promoted in warm-blooded animals by means of a class o f 1,2-disubstituted aromatic mineral chelates wherein the 1 and 2 substituents each donates a pair of electrons to a metal ion for formation of a five-memb er chelate ring. 2-Alkoxyphenols are particularly preferred. The chelates conta in from one to three alkoxyphenol ligands, with two ligands being preferred. A preferred alkoxyphenol is vanillin, and the minerals are selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo and Se. Vanillin meta l chelates have a slight to neutral taste, and are absorbed more readily than inorganic mineral salts. Mineral absorption is promoted in warm-blooded animals by means of a class of 1,2-disubstituted aromatic mineral chelates wherein the 1 and 2 substituents each donates a pair of electrons to a metal ion for formation of a five-member chelate ring. 2-Alkoxyphenols are particularly preferred. The chelates contain from one to three alkoxyphenol ligands, with two ligands being preferred. A preferred alkoxyphenol is vanillin, and the minerals are selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo and Se. Vanillin metal chelates have a slight to neutral taste, and are absorbed more readily than inorganic mineral salts.