The invention relates to new and known tricyclic dione derivatives of the general formula ##STR1## and to their salts which are inhibitors of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase in the treatment and prophylaxis of infections caused by herpes simplex virus.
The invention relates to new and known tricyclic dione derivatives of the general formula
wherein
Wrepresents hydrogen or lower alkyl;
Xrepresents lower alkyl;
Yrepresents an oxygen atom or NR1;
R1represents hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl or lower alkoxycarbonyl-lower alkyl;
Zrepresents aryl or heteroaryl optionally substituted by one or more halo, cyano, nitro, lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halo-lower alkoxy, COR2, OCOR2, CO2R2, OR2, S(O)nR2, NR2R3, N(R4)COR5, Ar, Ar-lower alkyl, Het or Het-lower alkyl substituents and/or on adjacent carbon atoms by lower alkylenedioxy;
R2, R3, R4 and R5each individually represent hydrogen, lower alkyl, Ar, Ar-lower alkyl, Het or Het-lower alkyl substituents; or R2 and R3 together represent the group -CH=CH-CH=CH- or -CH=N-CH=CH-;
Arrepresents aryl optionally substituted by one or more halo, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or nitro substituents;
Hetrepresents heteroaryl optionally substituted by one or more halo, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or nitro substituents; and
nstands for 0, 1 or 2
and to their salts which are inhibitors of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase in the treatment and prophylaxis of infections caused by herpes simplex virus.