## 2 Materials and Methods
### Synthesis
(3s, 9H, 3 OCH\({}_{3}\)), 3.95-4.21 (\({}^{13}\)C NMR (101 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 32.59, 34.92, 35.16, 35.61, 50.36, 50.79, 55.88, 60.10, 97.85, 98.02, 121.12, 125.08, 125.29, 131.58, 132.84, 134.28, 135.17, 135.22, 138.08, 138.92, 139.06, 146.68, 146.79, 152.67, 169.13, 171.62, 171.80, 173.99 ppm. IR (KBr): \(\
u\)max: 3101, (NH), 1673 (2C=O), 1281, 1235 (3 OCH\({}_{3}\)) cm\({}^{-1}\). Anal. Calcd. for C\({}_{21}\)H\({}_{21}\)ClN\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{7}\), %: C 52.89; H 4.44; N 11.75. Found: C 52.79; H 4.35; N 11.62. General procedure for the synthesis of \(N\)-alkylated hydrazones **19-22**  
To a solution of the corresponding hydrazone **9-15** (1.0 mmol), potassium hydroxide (3.0 mmol), potassium carbonate (3.0 mmol) in DMF (5 mL), and ethyl iodide (3.5 mmol) was added dropwise. The obtained mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 h. Then, the reaction mixture was diluted with 20-25 mL of water. The formed precipitate was filtered off, washed with water and diethyl ether, then dried and recrystallized from propan-2-ol **(19-21)** or a water and 1,_A_-dioxane mixture **(22)**. \(N^{\prime}\)-benzylidene-N-ethyl-5-oxo-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)pyrrolidine-3-carbohydrazide **(19)**  
White solid, yield 0.26 g (62%), m. p. 155-156 \({}^{\circ}\)C (from propan-2-ol). \({}^{1}\)H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 1.11 (t, J = 6.9 Hz, 3H, CH\({}_{3}\)), 2.72-2.89 (m, 2H, CH\({}_{2}\)CO), 3.63, 3.75 (2s, 9H, 3 OCH\({}_{3}\)), 3.96-4.17 (m, 4H, NCH\({}_{2}\), CH\({}_{2}\)), 4.26-4.38 (m, 1H, CH), 6.98 (s, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 7.38-7.87 (m, 5H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 8.11 (s, 1H, CH=N) ppm. \({}^{13}\)C NMR (101 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 10.95, 33.34, 35.17, 35.76, 50.81, 55.90, 60.10, 98.09, 127.12, 128.81, 129.73, 134.28, 134.83, 135.26, 140.46, 152.66, 171.88, 172.72 ppm. IR (KBr): \(\
u_{\max}\): 1689, 1667 (2C=O), 1271, 1254, 1232 (3 OCH\({}_{3}\)) cm\({}^{-1}\). Anal. Calcd. for C\({}_{23}\)H\({}_{27}\)N\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{5}\), %: C 64.93; H 6.40; N 9.88. Found: C 64.85; H 6.32; N 9.74. \(N^{\prime}\)-(4-chlorobenzylidene)-\(N\)-ethyl-5-oxo-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)pyrrolidine-3-carbohydrazide (**20**)  
White solid, yield 0.35 g (76%), m. p. 128-129 \({}^{\circ}\)C (from propan-2-ol). \({}^{1}\)H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 1: 11 (t, J = 6.9 Hz, 3H, CH\({}_{3}\)), 2.73-2.88 (m, 2H, CH\({}_{2}\)CO), 3.63, 3.75 (2s, 9H, 3 OCH\({}_{3}\)), 3.95-4.16 (m, 4H, NCH\({}_{2}\), CH\({}_{2}\)), 4.26-4.37 (m, 1H, CH), 6.98 (s, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 7.51 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 7.83 (d, J = 7.9 Hz, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 8.31 (s, 1H, CH=N) ppm. \({}^{13}\)C NMR (101 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 1: 091, 33.25, 35.32, 50.77, 55.91, 60.11, 98.10, 128.76, 128.90, 133.79, 134.17, 134.30, 135.25, 139.31, 152.67, 171.86, 172.79 ppm. IR (KBr): \(\
u_{\max}\): 1681 (2C=O), 1271, 1261, 1239 (3 OCH\({}_{3}\)) cm\({}^{-1}\). Anal. Calcd. for C\({}_{23}\)H\({}_{26}\)ClN\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{5}\), %: C 60.06; H 5.70; N 9.14. Found: C 59.95; H 5.64; N 9.00. \(N^{\prime}\)-(4-bromobenzylidene)-\(N\)-ethyl-5-oxo-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)pyrrolidine-3-carbohydrazide (**21**)  
White solid, yield 0.4 g (79%), m. p. 127-128 \({}^{\circ}\)C (from propan-2-ol). \({}^{1}\)H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 1: 10 (t, J = 6.9 Hz, 3H, CH\({}_{3}\)), 2.72-2.88 (m, 2H, CH\({}_{2}\)CO), 3.63, 3.75 (2s, 9H, 3 OCH\({}_{3}\)), 3.96-4.15 (m, 4H, NCH\({}_{2}\), CH\({}_{2}\)), 4.25-4.37 (m, 1H, CH), 6.98 (s, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 7.65 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 7.76 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2H, H\({}_{Ar}\)), 8.10 (s, 1H, CH=N) ppm. \({}^{13}\)C NMR (101 MHz, DMSO-\(d_{6}\)) & 1: 091, 33.25, 35.33, 35.74, 50.77, 55.91, 60.11, 98.10, 122.94, 128.99, 131.81, 134.13, 135.24, 139.39, 152.66, 171.85, 172.79 ppm. IR (KBr): \(\
u_{\max}\): 1681 (2C=O), 1270, 1260, 1238 (3 OCH\({}_{3}\)) cm\({}^{-1}\). Anal. Calcd. for C\({}_{23}\)H\({}_{26}\)BrN\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{5}\), %: C 54.77; H 5.20; N 8.33. Found: C 54.68; H 5.11; N 8.24.