Abstract: Compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is CH.dbd.CHR, CH.dbd.NNHR, CH.dbd.N--A--N(O)R'R" or CH.sub.2 --NH--A--N(O)R'R" and R.sub.2 is separately selected from hydrogen, CH.dbd.CHR, CH.dbd.NNHR, CH.dbd.N--A--(O)R'R" and CH.sub.2 --NH--A--N(O)R'R", wherein A is a C.sub.2-4 alkylene group with a chain length between N or NH and N(O)R'R" of at least 2 carbon atoms, R is a thiazolyl or imidazolyl group in which the tertiary nitrogen atom is in N-oxide form, and R' and R" are each separately selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups and C.sub.2-4 hydroxyalkyl and C.sub.3-4 dihydroxyalkyl groups in which the carbon atom attached to the nitrogen atom does not carry a hydroxy group and no carbon atom is substituted by two hydroxy groups, or R' and R" together are a C.sub.2-6 alkylene group which with the nitrogen atom to which R' and R" are attached forms a heterocyclic group having 3 to 7 atoms in the ring, and R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub. 5 and R.sub.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## in which R.sub.1 is A-N(O)R'R" and R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each separately selected from hydrogen, X and NH-A-N(O)R'R" wherein X is hydroxy, halogeno, amino, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy or C.sub.2-18 alkanoyloxy, A is a C.sub.2-4 alkylene group with a chain length between N or NH and N(O)R'R" of at least 2 carbon atoms and R' and R" are each separately selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups and C.sub.2-4 hydroxyalkyl and C.sub.3-4 dihydroxyalkyl groups in which the carbon atom attached to the nitrogen atom does not carry a hydroxy group and no carbon atom is substituted by two hydroxy groups, or R' and R" together are a C.sub.2-6 alkylene group which with the nitrogen atom to which R' and R" are attached forms a heterocyclic group having 3 to 7 atoms in the ring, and physiologically acceptable salts thereof are of value in the treatment of anaerobic bacterial infections.

Abstract: Compounds of formula (I) ##STR1## in which R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each separately selected from hydrogen, X, NH--A--NHR and NH--A--N(O)R'R" wherein X is hydroxy, halogeno, amino, C.sub.1-4 alkoxy or C.sub.2-8 alkanoyloxy, A is a C.sub.2-4 alkylene group with a chain length between NH and NHR or N(O)R'R" of at least 2 carbon atoms and R, R' and R" are each separately selected from C.sub.1-4 alkyl groups and C.sub.2-4 hydroxyalkyl and C.sub.2-4 dihydroxyalkyl groups in which the carbon atom attached to the nitrogen atom does not carry a hydroxy group and no carbon atom is substituted by two hydroxy groups, or R' and R" together are a C.sub.2-6 alkylene group which with the nitrogen atom to which R" and R" are attached forms a heterocyclic group having 3 to 7 atoms in the ring, but with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 is a group NH--A--N(O)R'R", and physiologically acceptable salts thereof are of value in the treatment of cancer.