Fused heterocyclic compounds, having angiotensin ii antagonistic activity

Abstract

Fused heterocyclic compounds of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon residue which may be attached through a hetero atom; R.sup.2 is a group capable of forming an anion or a group convertible thereinto; R.sup.3 is an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or heterocyclic residue which contains at least one hetero atom; X is a direct bond or a spacer having an atomic length of two or less between the R.sup.3 group and the ring W group; W is an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or heterocyclic residue which contains at least one hereto atom; a,c and d are independently selected from the group consisting of one or two optionally substituted carbon atoms and one or two optionally substituted hetero atoms; b and e are independently selected from the group consisting of one optionally substituted carbon atom and one optionally substituted nitrogen atom wherein one of b or e must be nitrogen; the dotted line is a bond to form one double bond; n is an integer of 1 or 2 and when a, which is an optionally substituted carbon atom, is taken together with R.sup.1, the following group: ##STR2## may form a ring group; provided that when ##STR3## is a benzimidazole, thieno[3,4-d]imidazole, or thieno[2,3-d]imidazole ring, at least one of the group: ##STR4## and R.sup.3 is an optionally substituted heterocyclic residue; and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, have potent angiotensin II antagonistic activity and antihypertensive activity, thus being useful as therapeutic agents for treating circulatory system diseases such as hypertensive diseases, heart diseases (e.g. hypercardia, heart failure, cardiac infarction, etc.), strokes, cerebral apoplexy, nephritis, etc.