We recently reported the potent anticonvulsant activity of (R, S)-a-acetamido-N-benzyl-a- phenylacetamide(2b). Selectively substituted derivatives of this compound have now been prepared (23 examples) and evaluated in the maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and horizontal screen (tox) tests in mice. In several key cases, replacement of the a-phenyl substituent in 2b by a relatively small, electron-rich, heteroaromatic moiety led to a ...
