Abstract: Novel tricyclic compounds containing two ring notrogen atoms and represented by the following formula I ##STR1## wherein: A is one of the groups --CH.sub.2 --; --CH.dbd.CH--; and --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --;R is hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, lower alkenyloxy, lower alkynyloxy, cyclo(C.sub.3-6 alkyl)oxy, hydroxy, benzyloxy, halo, sulfamoyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl or nitro; R.sub.1 is hydrogen, lower alkoxy or halo; or R and R.sub.1 taken together are methylenedioxy; the sequence ##STR2## is one of the following moieties: ##STR3## WHEREIN R.sub.2 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; R.sub.3 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; R.sub.4 is hydrogen, methyl, carboxy, carbo(lower alkoxy), carbamyl, mono- or di-(lower alkyl) carbamyl or hydroxymethyl; provided that when the sequence ##STR4## is one of the moieties a) and b) wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen or lower alkyl, A is not --CH.dbd.CH--; when the sequence ##STR5## is one of the moieties (a) and (b) wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen, A is not --CH.sub.