Two series of analogues of riluzole, a blocker of excitatory amino acid mediated neurotransmission, have been synthesized: monosubstituted 2-benzothiazolamines and 3-substituted derivatives. Of all the compounds prepared in the first series, only 2-benzothiazolamines bearing alkyl, polyfluoroalkyl, or polyfluoroalkoxy substituents in the 6-position showed potent anticonvulsant activity against administration of glutamic acid in rats. The most active compounds displaying in vivo "antiglutamate" activity were the 6-OCF3 (riluzole), 6-OCF2CF3, 6-CF3, and 6-CF2CF3 substituted derivatives with ED50 values between 2.5 and 3.2 mg/kg i.p. Among the second series of variously substituted benzothiazolines, compounds as active as riluzole or up to 3 times more potent were identified in two series: benzothiazolines bearing a beta-dialkylaminoethyl moiety and compounds with an alkylthioalkyl chain and their corresponding sulfoxides and sulfones. The most potent derivatives were 2-imino-3-(2-methylthio)- and 2-imino-3-(2-methylsulfinyl)-ethyl-6-trifluoromethoxybenzothiazlines (61 and 64, ED50 = 10 and 1.1 mg/kg i.p., respectively). In addition, intraperitoneal administration of some of the best benzothiazolines protected mice from mortality produced by hypobaric hypoxia.
