A series of 4-dialkylamino-2-butynyl-succinimide and -hydantoin deriva
tives were designed containing pharmacophoric elements for dual acting
anticonvulsant and antimuscarinic activity. Potent anticonvulsant age
nts were identified with an extremely rapid onset of protective activi
ty. Succinimides 13 and 18 exhibited ED50 values of 20 and 9.6 mg/kg 1
0 minutes after administration in the MES seizure model and also exhib
ited good binding affinity for the M-1 muscarinic receptor. (C) 1997 E
lsevier Science Ltd.