COMPOUNDS CAPABLE OF ACTIVATING CHOLINERGIC RECEPTORS

1 . A compound of Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

X is N, C—H, C—F, C—Cl, C—Br, C—I, C—R′, C—NR′R″, C—CF 3 , C-OH, C—CN, C—NO 2 , C—C 2 R′, C—SH, C—SCH 3 , C—N 3 , C—SO 2 CH 3 , C—OR′, C—SR′, C—C(═O)NR′R″, C—NR′C(═O)R′, C—C(═O)R′, C—C(═O)OR′, C(CH 2 ) q ,OR′, C—OC(═O)R′, COC(═O)NR′R″ or C—NR′C(═O)OR′, wherein R′ and R″ are individually hydrogen or alkyl and wherein

q is an integer from 1 to 6;

Z′ and Z″ individually represent hydrogen or alkyl, wherein at least one of Z′ and Z″ is hydrogen; and

the wavy line in the structure indicates that the compound can have a cis (Z) or trans (E) form.

2 . The compound of claim 1 , wherein X is C—H, C—Br, or C—OR′.

3 . The compound of claim 2 , wherein R′ is straight chain or branched alkyl.

4 . The compound of claim 1 , wherein R′ and R″ are C 1 -C 5 alkyl.

5 . The compound of claim 4 , wherein R′ and R″ are methyl, ethyl, isopropyl or isobutyl.

6 . The compound of claim 1 , wherein Z′ is hydrogen and Z″ is straight chain or branched alkyl.

7 . The compound of claim 1 , wherein Z′ is hydrogen and Z″ is C 1 -C 5 alkyl.

8 . The compound of claim 7 , wherein Z″ is methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl.

9 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

10 . The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 9 , comprising said compound in an amount effective to treat a central nervous system disorder selected senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type or attention deficit disorder.