3-Phenyl-2,5-dihydro-as-triazin-6 (1H)-ones

Compounds of the structure ##SPC1## Are provided which are useful as anti-inflammatory agents. Compounds having the structure ##SPC2## Wherein R is lower alkyl, phenyl, or benzyl and X is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, alkoxy or alkylthio, are useful as anti-inflammatory agents. The term "alkyl", as used throughout the specification, either by itself or as part of a larger group, refers to both straight and branched chain alkyl groups containing 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms. The term "alkoxy", as used throughout the specification, refers to a group of the formula Y--O--, wherein Y is alkyl as defined above. The term "halogen", as used throughout the specification, refers to fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Preferred are those compounds wherein R is alkyl and X is hydrogen or halogen; most preferred are those compounds wherein R is methyl and X is 5-Cl. The compounds of formula I are useful in the treatment of inflammatory conditions in mammalian speices, e.g., rats, dogs, cats, monkeys, etc. and can be used to provide relief for joint tenderness and stiffness in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Such compounds are formulated for use as anti-inflammatory agents according to accepted pharmaceutical practice in oral dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, elixirs or powders, or in an injectable form in a sterile aqueous vehicle prepared according to conventional pharmaceutical practice and may be administered in amounts of 100mg/70kg/day to 2g/70kg/day, preferably 100mg/70kg/day to 1g/70kg/day. The novel compounds of this invention are prepared from compounds having the formula ##SPC3## Wherein X and R are as defined above and R.sub.1 can be halogen (preferably bromine or chlorine), sulfhydryl, alkoxy, alkylthio, or phenyl-alkylthio. The compounds of formula II are known; see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,563 and Swiss Pat. No. 485,742. Reaction of a benzodiazepine of formula II with hydrazine yields a compound of formula I. The above reaction is preferably carried out in an inert atmosphere at room temperature, although elevated temperatures may be employed to improve yields and reduce reaction times. . It is to be understood that the compounds of formula I may be considered a tautomeric system of the two following possible forms: ##SPC4## The compounds of formula I can be converted into pharmaceutically acceptable acid-addition salts using procedures well known in the art. Illustrative acid-addition salts are the hydrohalides, especially the hydrochloride and hydrobromide which are preferred, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, tartrate, maleate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, methanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, toluenesulfonate, and the like. The following Examples represent preferred embodiments of the present invention. All temperatures are expressed in degrees Centigrade.