(.+-.)-4-Aryl-4,5-dihydro-3H-1,3-benzodiazepines. 2. Nuclear substituted analogs of (.+-.)-4,5-dihydro-2,3-dimethyl-4-phenyl-3H-1,3-benzodiazepine and (.+-.)-4,5-dihydro-2-ethyl-3-methyl-4-phenyl-3H-1,3-benzodiazepine as potential antidepressant agents

Abstract
Antidepressant-like activity, as evidenced by marked inhibition of tetrabenazine-induced ptosis, was previously reported for (.+-.)-4,5-dihydro-4-phenyl-3H-1,3-benzodiazepine derivatives. Since optimal antitetrabenazine activity was associated with (.+-.)-4,5-dihydro-2,3-dimethyl-4-phenyl-3H-1,3-benzodiazepine (HRP 543) and the 2-ethyl-3-methyl analog, the synthesis and evaluation of nuclear-substituted derivatives of these 2 compounds was also investigated. Marked antitetrabenazine activity in mice was associated with many of these compounds.