Synthesis and anticonvulsant evaluation of some N-substituted phthalimides.

Two series of phthalimides--one possessing an N-phenoxyalkyl moiety substituted at position 3 or 4 of the phenyl ring (1-9) and the other of N-alkenyl or alkinyl phthalimides (10-18)--were synthesized, evaluated for anticonvulsant activity and had their in silico lipophilicity estimated using computer programs. The anticonvulsant activity of phthalimides containing an unsaturated substituent at the phthalimide nitrogen was superior to that of the N-phenoxyalkyl phthalimides. Alkinyl derivative 10 emerged as the most active (in MES and ScMet tests) of all the compounds tested. A correlation between anticonvulsant activity and in silico estimated lipophilicity was not observed.