| abstract |
The present invention is concerned with 3-aryl-isoxazole-4-carbonyl-benzofuran derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1 is hydrogen or halogen; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, OCF3, -OCH2-R, R3 is hydrogen or lower alkoxy; or R2 and R3 form together with the carbon atom to which they are attached a ring with -CH=CH-CH=-CH-; R is aryl or heteroaryl, optionally substituted by halogen or lower alkyl, or is C(O)NH-lower alkyl, or is -C(O)-heteroaryl, wherein the heteroaryl group is optionally substituted by lower alkyl or phenyl, and with their pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts. It has been found that this class of compounds show high affinity and selectivity for GABA A cc5 receptor binding sites and might be useful as cognitive enhancer or for the treatment of cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease. |