Disclosed are compounds of compounds of the formula: or the pharmaceutically acceptable nontoxic salts thereof wherein: X is oxygen, H2 or sulfur Y is hydrogen, or optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, (substituted)arylalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, or a carbonyl group substituted with alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or amino groups; W is alkyl, arylalkyl or heteroarylalkyl, where each aryl group is optionally substituted with up to two groups; or W is aryl, thienyl, pyridyl or heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted; and Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4 independently represent nitrogen or C-R1 where R1 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, amino, or phenyl or pyridyl optionally mono- or independently disubstituted with halogen, hydroxy, lower alkyl, or lower alkoxy, which compounds are highly selective agonists, antagonists or inverse agonists for GABAa brain receptors or prodrugs of agonists or inverse agonists for GABAa brain receptors. These compounds are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety, sleep, and seizure disorders, overdose with benzodiazepine drugs, and enhancement of memory.
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