Substituted 3-piperidinealkanamines and alkanamides and compositions and method of use thereof

A pharmaceutical composition which comprises an antipsychotically effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR14## wherein R.sup.1 is lower-alkyl, or phenyl-lower-alkyl;
• R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different lower-alkyl;
• n is zero or one;
• R.sup.5 is hydrogen, lower-alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 -monocyclic cycloalkyl, lower-alkoxy, phenyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl in which the phenyl ring is substituted in the 2, 3, or 4-position by one to two, the same or different, halogen substituents, or R.sup.5 is a 5-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle selected from the group consisting of thienyl, furanyl and isoxazolyl;
• and
• R.sup.6 is hydrogen or lower-alkyl;
• or when n is zero, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 together are --(CH.sub.2).sub.m -- wherein m is an integer from four to six;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid-addition salt thereof, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, diluent or vehicle;
• with the proviso that when R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are methyl, n is zero and R.sup.6 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.5 cannot be hydrogen;
• further provided that when n is zero, R.sup.5 cannot be lower-alkoxy, phenyl, or a 5-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle.

A method for the treatment of psychosis which comprises administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR15## wherein:
• R.sup.1 is lower-alkyl, or phenyl-lower-alkyl;
• R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are the same or different lower-alkyl;
• n is zero or one;
• R.sup.5 is hydrogen, lower-alkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.7 -monocyclic cycloalkyl, lower-alkoxy, phenyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl in which the phenyl ring is substituted in the 3, 3, or 4-position by one to two, the same or different, halogen substituents, or R.sup.5 is a 5-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle selected from the group consisting of thienyl, furanyl and isoxazolyl;
• and
• R.sup.6 is hydrogen or lower-alkyl;
• or when n is zero, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 together are --(CH.sub.2).sub.m -- wherein m is an integer from four to six;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid-addition salt thereof;
• with the proviso that when R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are methyl, n is zero and R.sup.6 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.5 cannot be hydrogen;
• further provided that when n is zero, R.sup.5 cannot be lower-alkoxy, phenyl, or a 5-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle.