Tricyclic aminoalkylcarboxamides; novel dopamine D.sub.3 receptor subtype specific ligands

A compound of the formula:

• ##STR23## or the pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof wherein:
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and represent hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, halogen, hydroxy, amino, cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, --O.sub.2 CR', --NHCOR', --COR', --SO.sub.m R', where R' is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl and wherein m is 0, 1 or 2;
• or
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently represent --CONR'R", or --NR'R" where R' and R" independently represent hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen or lower alkyl;
• A represents an alkylene group of 2 to 6 carbon atoms optionally substituted with one or more alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• Y represents methylene;
• X is C or CH;
• and
• R.sub.4 is biphenyl, naphthyl, 1 or 2 anthracenyl, 1 or 2 biphenylenyl, dibenzofuranyl, dibenzothiophenenyl, fluorenyl, fluorenonyl, anthroquinonyl, 2-quinoxalinyl or azabiphenyl, each of which is optionally substituted independently by up to three groups selected from halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, alkylthio, hydroxy, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl or trifluoromethoxy.