Conversion of N-alkylaminobenzophenones to benzodiazepines in vivo.

The results of this study suggest that 5-chloro-2-[3-methyl-5-(dimethylamino)methyltriazol-4-yl]benzophenone can undergo N-dealkylation and ring closure in vivo to form the corresponding benzodiazepine. The in vivo conversion was found to occur in mice, rats, and monkeys. A variety of substituted aminobenzophenone compounds were also able to undergo these conversions. The conversions to benzodiazepines were confirmed by a comparison of retention times on a gas chromatograph as well as through the use of a GC-mass spectrometer. The results obtained did not prove that the N-alkylaminobenzophenones were devoid of activity, but they do suggest that their observed pharmacological activity may be due to the formation of the corresponding benzodiazepines.