The preparation of monoarylidene and both symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis
-arylidene derivatives of piperazine-2,5-dione is described. The use of 1,4
-diacetylpiperazine-2,5-dione make it possible to prepare unsymmetrical bis
arylidenes. The introduction of a dicyanomethylene moiety into the para pos
ition of one of the arylidene groups gave a remarkable deepening in the col
our of the resulting compounds 11 and 16.