New pesticidal e.g. insecticidal, compounds are of formula ##STR1## wherein X represents hydrogen, halogeno or an alkyl group, Z represents hydrogen, an alkyl group or a cyano or ethynyl group and R represents the residue of a carboxylic acid RCOOH which is an acid forming a pesticidal compound when esterified with .alpha.-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol.The compounds can be prepared by conventional methods e.g. esterification.