It is an object of the present invention to introduce carboxylic acid-functionalities suitable for coupling into the denatonium structure by means of simple synthesis, namely the synthesis of bitter principle derivatives based on the denatonium structure according to formula 1 : For example, according to the invention, lidocaine derivatives may be reacted with carboxylated benzyl halogenides. The carboxylated denatonium derivatives of the present invention are especially applied in medicine, biology, medical engineering as well as cosmetics, the pharmaceutical, chemical, and foodstuff industry.