The preparation and activity against Plasmodium berghei of derivatives of 1-(4-methoxycinnamoyl)-4-(5-phenyl-4-oxo-2-oxazolin-2-yl)piperazine are described. Replacement of the cinnamoyl group was accomplished by acylation or alkylation of 1-(5-phenyl-4-oxo-2-oxazolin-2-yl)piperazine. Modifications of the 5-phenyl group were prepared either by a sequence of reactions involving mandelic ester-pemoline-piperazine pemoline or by the reaction of 5-aryl-2-thio-2,4-oxazolidinedione with piperazine or N-substituted piperazines. In a similar manner, pemoline was allowed to react with N-arylpiperazine, hexahydro-1H-1,4-diazepine, and 2,6-dimethylpiperazine to provide N-arylpiperazine pemoline derivatives and variations in the piperazine moiety. Several compounds in which the 2-oxazolin-4-one ring was replaced with other heterocyclic rings were prepared as were several open-chain analogs. Five compounds (three of them substituted in the para position of the 5-phenyl group and two N-arylpiperazine pemoline derivatives) were found to be active against Plasmodium berghei. The remaining active compound possessed changes in the cinnamoyl group and substitution on the 5-phenyl group.
