Abstract:
The application discloses novel benzodiazepine agonist compounds, namely, compounds having the formula ##STR1## wherein X is F, CF 3 , CH 3 , or CN, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and a method of ameliorating central nervous system ailments therewith, especially convulsions and anxiolytic states. A novel intermediate and process for their production are also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to novel oxadiazolyl imidazobenzodiazepine compounds pharmaceutical compositions thereof, method of treating therewith, and to methods of preparing such compounds. The novel compounds are useful in psychopharmaceutical applications, e.g., in the treatment of central nervous system ailments, for example, as an anticonvulsant or an anxiolytic. 
     2. Prior Art 
     It is well known (Squires, R. F. and Braestrup, C., Nature (London) 266, (1977) 734) that specific sites in the central nervous systems of vertebrates exhibit a high specific affinity for binding 1,4- and 1,5-benzodiazepines. These sites are called benzodiazepine receptors. 
     Ferrosan European patent application No. 109,921 (published May 30, 1984) and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 (filed Nov. 15, 1983, issued Mar. 26, 1985) disclose compounds having the general Formula I ##STR2## wherein R&#39; is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, or nitro in the 7- or 8-position. 
     R 1  is hydrogen or lower-alkyl of up to 3 carbon atoms, 
     R 3  is an oxadiazolyl of the formula ##STR3## wherein R&#34; is lower-alkyl of up to 3 carbon atoms, 
     A . . . B is a grouping of the formula ##STR4## wherein R 5  is hydrogen or methyl, and 
     R&#34;&#39; is hydrogen or chlorine. 
     This U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 further discloses (Column 1, lines 59 through Column 2, line 4) that such oxadiazolyl benzodiazepines of EP No. 27,214 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,839) column 4, line 2 and oxadiazolyl beta-carbolines, as disclosed in earlier European patent application 54,507 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,403), exhibit stronger binding affinity for the benzodiazepine receptors than the analogous substituted compounds which are alkyl esters (rather than such oxadiazolyl derivatives). Roche European patent application No. 150,040 (published July 31, 1985) and corresponding Danish patent application 245/85 (made available July 22, 1984) and the presumed corresponding U.S. patent application also disclose oxadiazolyl imidazobenzodiazepines. 
     The disclosure of Roche European patent application No. 150,040 is very broad. Its disclosure of 1,2,4-oxadiazolyl-benzodiazepine compounds can be illustrated by Formulas II and III. ##STR5## wherein R 1  =alkyl, cycloalkyl, methoxymethyl 
     R 3  =H, CH 3 , and 
     R 4 , R 5  =H, halogen ##STR6## wherein X= ##STR7## wherein R 1  =alkyl, cycloalkyl, CF 3 , or methoxymethyl 
     R 4 , R 5  =H, halogen, CF 3 , and 
     n=2 or 3. 
     This Roche European patent application Nr. 150,040 includes no examples of compounds having the formula IV. ##STR8## wherein R 3  is ##STR9## and much less wherein R 3  is ##STR10## nor does this application disclose compounds of above formula IV wherein any of R 4  or R 5  is cyano, lower alkyl, or trifluoromethyl and further no compounds wherein R 4  is F, cyano, lower alkyl, or trifluoromethyl and of course much less compounds of formula IV wherein R 3  is ##STR11## and R 4  is F, CF 3 , CH 3 , or CN. 
     The compounds of Roche EP No. 150,040 examples 2, 3, 16, and 43 are old compounds of Ferrosan U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 column 2, lines 5-6, and examples 2 and 3 are preferred compounds of Roche EP No. 150,040 page 5 lines 34-37. 
     The compounds of Roche EP No. 150,040 examples 2, 3, 16, 29, 32, 43, 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, and 56 are 5,6-dihydro-6-oxo-4H-imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepine compounds. (Compounds according to above formula II). 
     The compounds of Roche EP No. 150,040 examples 1, 8, 9, 17, 18, 23, 30 are 10,11,12,12a-tetrahydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazo[1,5-a]azeto[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine compounds. (Compounds according to above formula III). 
     The compounds of Roche EP No. 150,040 examples 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 54, 55, 57, 58 and 59 are 11,12,13,13a-tetrahydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazo[1,5-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine compounds. (Compounds according to above formula III). 
     The compound of Roche EP No. 150,040 example 47 is an 11,13a-dihydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazo[1,5-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine compound. 
     The compounds of Roche EP 150,040 examples 11, 15, 26, and 40 are 1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl compounds. (Compounds according to above formula III) 
     The compounds of Roche EP 150,040 examples 11, 15, 26, and 40 are 1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl compounds combined with an 11,12,13,13a-tetrahydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazo[1,5-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine skeleton. 
     The compound of Roche EP No. 150,040 Example 40 is a 5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl compound with an 11,12,13,13a-tetrahydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazol[1,5-a]pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoodiazepine skeleton. 
     The compound of Roche EP No. 150,040 Example 40 is a 5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl compound which has been found grossly inferior in pharmacological and biochemical evaluations as further reported hereinafter. 
     Roche European patent application 150,040 further claims a process for the preparation of such compounds (II and III) by reacting compounds of Formula V and VI ##STR12## wherein R 4 , R 5  and n have the meanings set forth in the foregoing and Y is a leaving group, with a compound of the formula 
     
         CN--CH.sub.2 --X 
    
     wherein x has the meaning set forth in the foregoing for Formula III. 
     All oxadiazoles in the Roche application are actually made by reacting intermediates V or VI with CN--CH 2  --CO 2  R to form a compound of Formula II or III having the --CO 2  R substituent instead of an oxadiazole ring, which compound is thereafter, in several steps, converted to an oxadiazole. 
     The new compounds provided by the present invention have the same type of structure and activity as disclosed in the prior art, but the particular and specific compounds of the present invention, and the particular and specific &#34;subject matter as a whole&#34;, including not only their chemical structure but also their pharmacological properties, have been found to be both advantageous and unobvious from the standpoint of one skilled in the art. 
     OBJECTS 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide novel compounds having the formula ##STR13## wherein X is F, CF 3 , CH 3 , or CN and pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salts thereof, which are useful in the treatment of central nervous system disorders or ailments, especially as anticonvulsants and anxiolytics, a process for producing the same, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, an intermediate therefor, and a method of treating therewith. Additional objects will become apparent hereinafter, and still others will be obvious to one skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention, in summary, comprises the following: A compound selected from the group consisting of 3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-7-X, especially 7-F, 7-CF 3 , 7-CH 3 , and 7-CN, -4H-imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepines and pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salts thereof; a pharmaceutical composition suitable for use in the treatment of central nervous system ailments, especially convulsions and anxiety states, comprising an effective amount of 3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-7-X-4H-imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepine or a pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salt thereof, a method of treating such ailments or disorders in a subject in need thereof comprising the step of administering to the subject an amount of 3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-7-X-4H-imidazo[1,5-a][1,4]benzodiazepine or a pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salt thereof effective for such purpose; and such a method wherein the active compound is administered in the form of a pharmaceutical composition containing also a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or diluent. The invention also comprises a method of synthesizing the compounds of the invention, and a new intermediate therefor. 
     The free basic compound of the present invention has the formula ##STR14## M.p. X═F--188.2°-189° C. 
     X═CF 3  --200.1° C. 
     X═CH 3  --175.0°-175.5° C. 
     X═CN--237°-239° C. 
     These compounds can be prepared either by conventional methods analogous to the methods described in Ferrosan U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 Example 3, Roche EP No. 150,040 Example 40, or Schering U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,403 Example 70 as illustrated below ##STR15## or by the new method provided by the present invention and as illustrated below ##STR16## wherein Y is a leaving group, such as the --OP(O)(O-ethyl) 2  group of Example 5 hereof. Alternatively, the leaving group may be any disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,079 or 4,359,420, for example, halogen, alkylthio, e.g., methylthio, aralkylthio, N-nitrosoalkylamino, alkoxy, mercapto, --OP(O)(OR) 2  wherein R is lower-alkyl, or --OP(O)(NR&#39;R&#34;) wherein R&#39; and R&#34; each represents lower-alkyl, allyl, or phenyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent a heterocyclic radical such as morpholino, pyrrolidino, piperidino, or methylpiperazino. The reaction is preferably carried out under alkaline conditions, i.e., in the presence of a base, and among bases alkali metal, e.g., potassium or sodium, alkoxides or hydrides are preferred. The reaction is preferably conducted in the presence of an organic solvent which is nonreactive with the reactants and products of reaction under the conditions of reaction, especially an anhydrous solvent and preferably an anhydrous aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide (DMF) or the like. The temperature range employed may be any range suitable for the reaction to proceed at a reasonable rate and without undue delay or decomposition and a range from a minus forth (-40) degrees Celsius to about room temperature is accordingly usually particularly suitable. 
     PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS 
     The compound of the invention, together with a conventional adjuvant, carrier, or diluent, and if desired in the form of a pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salt thereof, may be placed into the form of pharmaceutical compositions and unit dosages thereof, and in such form may be employed as solids, such as tablets or filled capsules, or liquids, such as solutions, suspensions, emulsions, elixirs, or capsules filled with the same, all for oral use, in the form of suppositories for rectal administration; or in the form of sterile injectable solutions for parenteral (including subcutaneous) use. Such pharmaceutical compositions and unit dosage forms thereof may comprise conventional ingredients in conventional proportions, with or without additional active compounds or principles, and such unit dosage forms may contain any suitable effective central nervous system ailment alleviating (or benzodiazepine agonistic) amount of the active ingredient commensurate with the intended daily dosage range to be employed. Tablets containing ten (10) milligrams of active ingredient or, more broadly, ten (10) to thirty (30) milligrams, per tablet, are accordingly suitable representative unit dosage forms. 
     The compound of this invention can thus be used for the formulation of pharmaceutical preparations, e.g., for oral and parenteral administration to mammals including humans, in accordance with conventional methods of galenic pharmacy. 
     Conventional excipients are such pharmaceutically acceptable organic or inorganic carrier substances suitable for parenteral or oral application which do not deleteriously react with the active compound. 
     Examples of such carriers are water, salt solutions, alcohols, polyethylene glycols, polyhydroxyethoxylated castor oil, gelatin, lactose, amylose, magnesium stearate, talc, silicic acid, fatty acid monoglycerides and diglycerides, pentaerythritol fatty acid esters, hydroxymethylcellulose and polyvinylpyrrolidone. 
     The pharmaceutical preparations can be sterilized and mixed, if desired, with auxiliary agents, such as lubricants, preservatives, stabilizers, wetting agents, emulsifiers, salt for influencing osmotic pressure, buffers and/or coloring substances and the like, which do not deleteriously react with the active compound. 
     For parenteral application, particularly suitable are injectable solutions or suspensions, preferably aqueous solutions with the active compound dissolved in polyhydroxylated castor oil. 
     Ampoules are conveniently unit dosages. 
     For oral application, particularly suitable are tablets, dragees, or capsules having talc and/or a carbohydrate carrier or binder or the like, the carrier preferably being lactose and/or corn starch and/or potato starch. A syrup, elixir or the like can be used when a sweetened vehicle can be employed. Generally, as to broader ranges, the compound of the invention is dispensed in unit dosage form comprising 0.05-100 mg in a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier per unit dosage. 
     METHOD OF TREATING 
     Due to its high degree of affinity for the benzodiazepine receptors, the compound of the invention is extremely useful in the treatment of central nervous system ailments or disorders, when administered in an amount effective for the alleviation, amelioration, or elimination thereof, which is of course also a benzodiazepine agonistic amount. The important CNS activity of the compound of the invention includes both anticonvulsant and anxiolytic activities along with a low toxicity, together presenting a most favorable therapeutic index. The compound of the invention may accordingly be administered to a subject, e.g., a living animal body, including a human, in need of the same for the treatment, alleviation, amelioration, or elimination of an indication, associated with the central nervous system and the so-called benzodiazepine receptors, which requires such psychopharmaceutical treatment, e.g., especially convulsion and/or anxiety states, if desired in the form of a pharmaceutically-acceptable acid addition salt thereof (such as the hydrobromide, hydrochloride, or sulfate, in any event prepared in the usual or conventional manner, e.g., evaporation to dryness of the free base in solution together with the acid), ordinarily concurrently, simultaneously, or together with a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier or diluent, especially and preferably in the form of a pharmaceutical composition thereof, whether by oral, rectal, or parenteral (including subcutaneous) route, in an effective psychopharmaceutical central nervous system ailment alleviating amount, e.g., an anticonvulsant and/or anxiolytic amount, and in any event an amount which is effective for the alleviation of such a central nervous system ailment due to its benzodiazepine agonistic effect. Suitable dosage ranges are 1-200 milligrams daily, preferably 10-100 milligrams daily, and especially 30-70 milligrams daily, depending as usual upon the exact mode of administration, form in which administered, the indication toward which the administration is directed, the subject involved and the body weight of the subject involved, and the preference and experience of the physician or veterinarian in charge. Broader ranges for dosages of the compound according to this invention are 0.1-300 mg/day, preferably 1-30 mg/day, when administered to patients, e.g., humans, as a drug. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following Examples are given by way of illustration only, but are not to be construed as limiting. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     Formylaminomethyl-carboxamideoxime 
     To 53.6 g/0.638 mol/N-formylamino-acetonitrile* was added 0.55 mol freshly liberated hydroxylamine dissolved in 370 ml methanol. An ice bath was used to keep the temperature below 20° C. during the addition. The solution was allowed to stand at room temperature overnight, whereafter it was evaporated to give the title compound as pale crystals. Decomp. 104°-110° C. 
    
     EXAMPLE 2 
     3-Formylaminomethyl-5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole 
     A mixture of 35 ml ethyl cyclopropylcarboxylate, 30 g formylamino-methyl-carboxamideoxime, 1 g sodium and 30 g crushed mol sieves (4 Å) was refluxed in 300 ml abs. EtOH for 8 hours whereafter a further 1 g sodium was added. The reaction mixture was filtered and the filtrate was evaporated. The dark oily residue was suspended in 300 ml CHCl 3 , filtered and the filtrate was evaporated to give the title compound as an oil. 
     H-NMR (60 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ(ppm): 1.2 (4H, m), 2.8 (1H, m), 4.5 (2H, d, J=6 Hz), 7.8 (1H, broad-NH), 8.2 (1H, s). 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     5-Cyclopropyl-3-isocyanomethyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole 
     A stirred solution of 5-cyclopropyl-3-formylamino-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (60 mmol) and triethylamine (176 mmol) in CH 2  Cl 2  (100 ml) was charged dropwise with POCl 3  (60 mmol) at 0° C., whereafter a solution of Na 2  CO 3  (60 mmol) in H 2  O (50 ml) was added. The mixture was heated to room temperature, whereafter the organic phase was separated, dried and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was treated with ether, decanted and the solution was evaporated to give the title compound as an oil. 
     The oil was processed without any further purification. IR: cm -1  : 2160. 
     EXAMPLE 4 
     3,4-Dihydro-4-methyl-6-cyano-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine--2,5(1H)-dione 
     2.3 g of 3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-6-bromo-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5(1H)-dione (U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,817 ex.9) and 1.26 g of cupro cyanide was dissolved in 5 ml dimethyl formamide. This mixture was heated to 110° C. for 30 minutes. This mixture was then cooled to 50° C. and 2.4 g sodium in 6 ml water was added. The resulting mixture was then stirred for 10 minutes, whereafter 30 ml water was added. This mixture was extracted two times with 25 ml ethyl acetate. The organic phase was dryed with calcium chloride. After filtration the organic solution was evaporated in vacuo to give 0.78 g of the title compound. M.p. 261°-69° C. 
     EXAMPLE 5 
     3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-7-methyl-4H-imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine. 
     3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-6-methyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5(1H)dione (U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,839 ex 28) (4.0 mmol) was dissolved in dry DMF (20 ml) and charged with sodium hydride (5 mmol). The resulting solution was cooled under N 2  to -20° C., whereafter chlordiethylphosphate (11 mmol) was added. 
     The reaction mixture was kept under N 2  with stirring at -20° C. and charged with a -30° C. cold solution of 5-cyclopropyl-3-isocyanomethyl-1,2,4-oxadiaxole (5 mmol) and K-t-butylate (5 mmol) in dry DMF (15 mmol) 
     The resulting reaction mixture was allowed to heat to room temperature, whereafter it was evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The oily residue containing the crude product was crystalized from ethanol giving 0.45 g of the title compound M.p. 175°-175.5° C. 
     The following compounds were synthesized in exactly the same manner. 
     (1) 7-fluoro-3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine. M.p. 188.2°-189.0° C. 
     HNMR (60 mHz, DMSO-D 6 ): δ=8.2 (s, 1H), 7.2-8.0 (m, 3H aromatic), 5.1-4.2 (degenerate coupling, 2H), 3.1 (s, 3H, NME), 2.3 (m, 1H)1.1-1.5(m, 4H), from 3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-6-fluoro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5(1H)-dione (U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,839 ex.10) M.p. 247.2°-247.7° C. 
     (2) 7-cyano-3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine. M.p. 237°-239° C. 
     IR: 0.3% KBr dish showed the characteristic C.tbd.N band at 2230 cm -1  NMR (60 mHz, CDCl 3  +DMSO-D 6 ): δ=8.2 (s, 1H), 7.2-8.0 (m, 3H, aromatic), 5.2-4.3(2m, degenerate coupling, 2H), 3.1(s, 3H, N-ME), 2.3(m, 1H), 1.1-1.5 (m, 4H), from 3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-6-cyano-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5(1H)-dione (Example 4 hereof) 
     (3) 7-trifluoromethyl-3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxodiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine. H 1  NMR (60 mHz, DMSO-D 6  +CDCL 3 )=(s, 1H), 8.0-7.5 (m, 3H aromatic), 5.3-4.4(m, degenerate coupling, 2H), 3.1 (s, 3H, N-ME), 2.3(m, 1H) 1.1-1.5(4H). M.p. 200.1° C. from 3,4-dihydro-4-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5(1H) dione. M.p. 224° C. (prepared exactly by the methods of U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,839). 
     EXAMPLE 6 
     Representative Pharmaceutical Compositions 
     (a) A typical tablet for use in treating anxiety states and which may be prepared by conventional tableting techniques contains 
     
         ______________________________________Compound of Invention*               1.0    mgLactosum (lactose)  67.4   mg Ph. Eur.Avicel ® (microcellulose)               31.4   mgAmberlite ® (IRP 88)**               1.0    mgMagnesii stearas    0.25   mg Ph. Eur.(magnesium stearate)Exactly the same tablet may be used for treating convulsions.______________________________________ *possibly salt form **ion exchange resin 
    
     (b) For suppositories, any usual suppository base may be employed for incorporation thereinto by usual procedure of the active ingredient, such as a polyethyleneglycol which is a solid at normal room temperature but which melts at or about body temperature. 
     (c) For parenteral (including subcutaneous) sterile solutions, the active ingredient together with conventional ingredients in usual amounts are employed, such as sodium chloride, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium edetate (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt), benzyl alcohol, sodium hydroxide to adjust pH, and double-distilled water q.s., according to conventional procedure, such as filtration, aseptic filling into ampoules, and autoclaving for sterility. 
     Other suitable pharmaceutical compositions will be immediately apparent to one skilled in the art. 
     PHARMACOLOGY 
     The compounds of the invention have been found to exhibit an unpredictably favourable and highly advantageous degree of activity in the standard classical test for determining the in vivo affinity for the benzodiazepine receptors, as well as in the standard test considered predictive for pharmaceutical activity against convulsions and anxiety states mediated through the benzodiazepine receptors. 
     The following test has been performed on the compound of the invention as well as on representative examples of prior art compounds. 
     I. In vivo inhibition of  3  H-flunitrazepam binding to mouse forebrain membranes by test substances administered intraperitoneally. (Procedure 130) 
     Principle. 
     Twenty minutes after a dose of  3  H-flunitrazepam ( 3  H-FNM) (200 μCi/kg, i.v.) the amount of specific  3  H-FNM binding to brain benzodiazepine receptors has reached its maximal value. This specific binding of  3  H-FNM can be partly or completely prevented by simultaneous or prior administration of pharmacologically active benzodiazepines and by some benzodiazepine-like agents (Chang and Snyder, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 48, 212-218 (1978)). 
    
     Test procedure. 
     Suspensions of test substances (2 mg/ml) are prepared in 5% Duphasol-X* by sonification for 10 min using a Branson B15 microtip ultrasonifier (setting 7). Groups of three mice (female, NMR, 18-22 gram) are injected with the test substance at 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Fifteen minutes after test substance administration the mice are challenged with 4 μCi intravenously of  3  H-FNM (70-90 Ci/mole) in 200 μl physiological saline. Twenty minutes after  3  H-FNM administration mice are sacrificed by decapitation, the forebrains rapidly excised (within 30 sec) and homogenized in 12 ml of icecold 25 mM KH 2  PO 4 , pH 7.1, using an Ultra-Turrax homogenizer fitted with an N 10 shaft. Two aliquots of 1 ml are immediately filtered through Whatman GF/C glassfibre filters and washed with 2×5 ml of the above mentioned buffer. The amounts of radioactivity on the filters are determined by conventional scintillation counting. One group of untreated mice serves as controls. One to three mice are injected with 25 mg/kg clonazepam i.p. 30 minutes before  3  H-FNM to determine the amount of non-specific  3  H-FNM binding, which should be between 8-15% of total binding. 
     When doses of 100 mg/kg inhibit more than 50% of specific  3  H-flunitrazepam binding; test substances are administered in doses, which are factors of 3.16 times lower than 100 mg/kg. 
     The ED 50  for a test substance is defined as that dose which inhibits 50% of specific  3  H-FNM binding. Specific binding is the amount of binding in controls minus the amount binding in clonazepam-treated mice. 
     Results. 
     The ED 50  value is determined from dose response curves. If only one dose of test substance is administered the ED 50  value is calculated as follows, provided that the inhibition of specific binding is within the range of 25-75%: ##EQU1## where C o  is specific binding in controls and C x  is specific binding in mice treated with test substance. 
     II. Pentazol clonic conv. mice (i.p.) (Procedure 400) 
     Principle. 
     Pentylenetetrazol induces clonic and tonic convulsions in mice at doses of 60-120 mg/kg s.c. The mechanism is unknown but seems to be due to some effects through the GABA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/chloride ionophore complex. Antagonism of convulsions induced by maximal doses of pentylenetetrazol is considered predictive for drugs effective against petit mal epilepsia and anxiety. 
     Method. 
     150 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol dissolved in 0.9% NaCl is given by the subcutaneous route in volume of 15 ml/kg to male or female NMRI mice weighing 20-25 g 30 min after an intraperitoneal injection of a test compound. Number of mice exhibiting clonic seizures is noted within the next 30 min. At least 3 doses of each test compound are used with 4 or 8 mice per dose, and with doses both above and below the ED 50  value. 
     Results. 
     The ED 50  value is calculated as the dose in μg/kg at which seizures are inhibited in 50% of the animals using a computer program based on the method of Litchfield and Wilcoxon (1949). 
     III. Pentazol tonic conv. mice i.p. (Procedure 401) 
     Principle. 
     Pentylenetetrazol induces clonic and tonic convulsions in mice at doses of 60-120 mg/kg s.c. The mechanism is unknown but seem to be due to some effects through the GABA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/chloride ionophore complex. Antagonism of convulsions induced by maximal doses of pentylenetetrazol is considered predictive for drugs effective against petit mal epilepsia and anxiety. 
     Method. 
     150 mg/kg pentylenetetrazol (Pentazol, Sigma) dissolved in 0.9% NaCl is given by the subcutaneous route in volumes of 15 ml/kg to male or female NMRI mice weighing 20-25 g 30 min after an intraperitoneal injection of a test compound. Number of mice exhibiting tonic seizures is noted within the next 30 min. At least 3 doses of each test compound are used with 4 or 8 mice per dose, and with doses both above and below the ED 50  value. 
     Results. 
     The ED 50  value is calculated as the dose in μg/kg where seizures are inhibited in 50% of the animals using a computer program based on the method of Litchfield and Wilcoxon (1949). 
     
                                           THE TABLE__________________________________________________________________________Test results obtained by testing the compound of the inventionand the compounds considered to be the closest prior art willappear from the following table 1. ##STR17## ##STR18##    R.sup.4        R.sup.5             X        ED50 μg/kgbindingin vivo                             clonictonicED50 μg/kgconvulsionspenta                            zol inducedActivity against__________________________________________________________________________ ##STR19##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR20##                     90     20  5 ##STR21##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR22##                     10     8   3 ##STR23##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR24##                     1.800  27.000                                1.300 ##STR25##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR26##                     200    600 200 ##STR27##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR28##                     60     90  30 ##STR29##   CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2             ##STR30##                     960    13.000                                1.000 ##STR31##   CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2             ##STR32##                     230    1.600                                80 ##STR33##   H   CH.sub.3             ##STR34##                     2.200  8.000                                2.000__________________________________________________________________________ A Compound of Present invention B Compound of Ferrosan U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 ex. 3 C Compound of Ferrosan U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 column 2, line 6. D Compound of Roche 150,040 ex. 29 E Compound of Roche 150,040 ex. 40 F Compound of Roche 150,040 ex. 31 G Compound of Ferrosan U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,313 ex. 1 
    
     From the above table it is readily apparent that the compounds of the invention are remarkably and unpredictably superior in every respect compared to the most structurally closely-related compounds in the prior art. 
     In conclusion, from the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention provides novel anticonvulsant and anxiolytic 3-(5-cyclopropyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-7-X-4H-imidazo(1,5-a)(1,4)benzodiazepines and addition salts thereof, having highly advantageous and unpredictable properties. 
     Further, a new synthesis is provided by the present invention as well as a new intermediate therefor. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of operation, or to the exact compounds, compositions, methods, procedures, or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the full scope of the appended claims.