Heteroaryl amines as novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

A compound of the formula ##STR14## wherein one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may optionally be attached to the carbon atom designated by an asterisk in formula IA' rather than to the benzo ring;

• R.sup.1 is phenyl, phenyl-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, cinnamyl or heteroarylmethyl, wherein the heteroaryl moiety of said heteroarylmethyl is selected from imidazolo, thiazolo, thieno, pyrido and isoxazolo, and wherein said phenyl and said heteroaryl moiety may optionally be substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy and halo;
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl optionally substituted with from one to three fluorine atoms, benzyloxy, hydroxy, phenyl, benzyl, halo, nitro, cyano, COOR.sup.4, CONHR.sup.4, NR.sup.4, R.sup.5, NR.sup.4 COR.sup.5, or SO.sub.p CH.sub.2 -phenyl wherein p is 0, 1 or 2;
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from hydrogen and (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, when part of said NR.sup.4 R.sup.5, optionally form, together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, a ring containing four to eight members wherein one atom of the ring is nitrogen and the others are carbon, oxygen or nitrogen, or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, when part of said NR.sup.4 COR.sup.5, optionally form, together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, a ring containing four to eight members wherein one atom of the ring is nitrogen and the others are carbon, oxygen or nitrogen, or R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, when part of said NR.sup.4 COR.sup.5, optionally form, together with the nitrogen and carbon to which they are attached, a four to eight membered lactam ring;
• X is CH or CCH.sub.3 ;
• Y is oxygen;
• R.sup.6 is hydrogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, CO(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl or SO.sub.2 -phenyl, wherein the phenyl moiety of said SO.sub.2 -phenyl may optionally be substituted with from one to five substituents independently selected form (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkyl;
• n is an integer from 1 to 4;
• each q is, independently, 1 or 2;
• and
• Z is oxygen or sulfur;
• with the proviso that any CH.sub.q group wherein q is 1 must be attached to one and only one other CH.sub.q group wherein q is 1;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of such compound.