Novel halogen-substituted benzopyran-4-carboxylic acids, benzothiopyran-4-carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof useful as aldose reductase inhibitors and as therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic diabetic complications are disclosed. Specific compounds disclosed include 6-phenyl-8-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6,7-dichloro-3,4-dihydrobenzothiopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6-chloro-8-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6,8-dichloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6-fluoro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6-chloro-dihydro-2H-naphtho[1,2-b]pyran-4-carboxylic acid, 6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzothiopyran-4-carboxylic acid and 6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-acetic acid. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing the novel compounds and a method of using the novel compounds for the treatment of chronic diabetic complications.