This invention provides O-.alpha.-acyloxyalkyl ethers of the venlafaxine metabolite 4-[2-(Dimehtylamino-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl]phenol, represented by Formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein the variables R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are defined herein, and where the configuration at the steriogenic center (*) may be R, S, or RS (the racemate).