ARYLPIPERAZINES HAVING ACTIVITY AT THE SEROTONIN 1A RECEPTOR AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THEM

A series of aryl piperazine compounds are effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of conditions related to or affected by the serotonin 1A receptor; the compounds are particularly effective antagonists at that receptor, and are particularly useful for alleviating the symptoms of nicotine and tobacco withdrawal. The compounds are of the formula wherein Ar' is a mono or bicyclic aryl or heteroaryl radical substituted with one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; R is hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio; R is phenyl, naphthyl or (C3-C12)cycloalkyl substituted with one or two substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkylthio, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkylhalo, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkenyl or halo; X is -(C=O)-, -CHOH- or -CH2-; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt racemate, optical isomer or solvate thereof.