The 3-substituted P-carbolines 2-4 and 5-7 were prepared from 3-amino-@-carboline (8) in one step via diazotization, followed by reaction with the appropriate nucleophile in order to determine their binding affinity for benzodiazepine receptors (BzR). All three of the 3-alkoxy- P-carbolines 2 (ICw= 124 nM), 3 (ICso= 24 nM), and 4 (ICso= 11 nM) have high affinities for BzR. The@-carbolines ubstituted with electron-withdrawing groups including 5 (Cl; ICw= ...