Abstract The title compounds VI-XXIII were prepared by heating ethyl (2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl) acetate (II) with a series of N-monosubstituted piperazines. The propionamides XXVI and XXX were obtained by reactions of the acid chlorides IV and XXXIII with 3-(1-piperazinyl) propionamide. Compounds VI (V⁄ FB-13 763) and VIII (V⁄ FB-14 745) proved more active than piracetam (I) by their antiamnesic effects in rats, by antagonizing the brain-damaging ...