Novel fluorinated pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2,6-dione derivatives: synthesis and anticonvulsant evaluation in animal models of epilepsy.

A series of fluorinated analogs of the potent investigative anticonvulsant agent (4S,8aS)-4-phenylperhydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2,6-dione 1 was prepared and characterized by IR, 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectral data. The compounds have been evaluated in the in vivo rodent models of epilepsy. They displayed high activity in the 'classical' maximal electroshock seizure (MES) and subcutaneous Metrazol (scMET) tests as well as in the 6Hz model of pharmacoresistant limbic seizures.