Anticonvulsant compounds

A method for reducing the severity of convulsant activity, comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound represented by the following formula (II):

• wherein,
• R1=R2=H or CH3
• and
• R3=C1 to C6 alkyl (straight chain or branched), C4-C6-cycloalkyl, or aryl, wherein aryl is selected from the group consisting of:
• phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted with one or two substituents selected from a group consisting of CH3, OH2, OCH3, SO2CH3, SO2Ph, F, Cl, CF3, CN, and C(O)CH(CN)CH3;
• 1- or 2-naphthyl;
• 2-, 3-, or 4-pyridyl, unsubstituted or substituted with one or two substituents selected from a group consisting of CH3, OCH3, SO2CH3, SO2Ph, F, Cl, CF3, and CN;
• 2- or 3-furyl, unsubstituted or substituted with one or two substituents selected from a group consisting of CH3, OCH3, SO2CH3, SO2Ph, F, Cl, CF3, and CN;
• or
• 2- or 3-thienyl, unsubstituted or substituted with one or two substituents selected from a group consisting of CH3, OCH3, SO2CH3, SO2Ph, F, Cl, CF3, and CN;
• CH2SC6H5, CH2SO2C6H5, S—C6H5, S(O)C6H5, SO2C6H5;
• CH═CHC(O)CH3, CH═CHC(O)C6H5, CH═CHC(O)—O—CH3, CH═CHC(O)—O—C2H5, CH═CHC(O)—O—CH(CH3)2, CH═CHC(O)—O—C4H9, or CH═CHC(O)—O—C6H5,
• with the proviso that when R1=R2=CH3 then R3 is not CH3.