Antiviral 1-sulfonylbenzimidazoles

A method of suppressing the growth of a virus which comprises administering intranasally to a warm-blooded animal infected with the virus an antivirally effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR13## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, phenyl, furyl, thienyl, or R.sub.4 R.sub.5 N--, wherein R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are independently C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, when taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, are pyrrolidino, piperidino or morpholino;
• R.sub.2 is amino, formamido, acetamido, propionamido or butyramido;
• R.sub.3 is
• hydroxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 alkanoyloxy, phenylacetoxy, .alpha.-C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl-.alpha.-hydroxybenzyl or benzoyloxy;
• or ##STR14## wherein R.sub.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, (C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl)methyl, 1-(C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl)ethyl, benzyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, chloro, bromo, iodo, nitro or trifluoromethyl;
• or Z.dbd.C(R.sub.6)--, wherein Z is hydroxyimino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxyimino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 acyloxyimino, benzyloxyimino, benzoyloxyimino, hydrazono, thiocarbamylhydrazono, carboxymethoxyimino, methoxycarbonylhydrazono, ethoxycarbonylhydrazono, carbamylhydrazono, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxycarbonylethylcarbonyloxyimino, benzyloxycarbonylaminomethylcarbonyloxyimino, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonylethylcarbonyloxyimino, phthalimidomethylcarbonyloxyimino, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkylidene;
• and
• R.sub.3 is at the 5 or 6 position.

A pharmaceutical formulation useful in the treatment of viral infections comprising an antivirally effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR16## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, phenyl, furyl, thienyl, or R.sub.4 R.sub.5 N--, wherein R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are independently C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, when taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, are pyrrolidino, piperidino or morpholino;

• R.sub.2 is amino, formamido, acetamido, propionamido or butyramido;
• R.sub.3 is hydroxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 alkanoyloxy, phenylacetoxy, .alpha.-C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl-.alpha.-hydroxybenzyl or benzoyloxy;
• or ##STR17## wherein R.sub.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl, (C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl)methyl, 1-(C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 cycloalkyl)ethyl, benzyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, chloro, bromo, iodo, nitro or trifluoromethyl;
• or Z.dbd.C(R.sub.6)--, wherein Z is hydroxyimino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxyimino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 acyloxyimino, benzyloxyimino, hydrazono, thiocarbamylhydrazono, carboxymethoxyimino, methoxycarbonylhydrazono, ethoxycarbonylhydrazono, carbamylhydrazono, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxycarbonylethylcarbonyloxyimino, benzyloxycarbonylaminomethylcarbonyloxyimino, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonylethylcarbonyloxyimino, phthalimidomethylcarbonyloxyimino, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkylidene;
• and
• R.sub.3 is at the 5 or 6 position, in combination with a pharmaceutical diluent or carrier therefor.