This invention relates to compounds which have activity as 5-HT_1A agonists and antagonists which may be useful for the treatment of anxiety, depression, cognitive deficits, and prostate cancer, having the formula ##STR1##

wherein: X is a moiety selected from the group of: ##STR2##

n is selected from the integers 1 through 5; R¹ is optionally substituted aryl or mono or bicyclic heteroaryl, with a proviso that heteroaryl is not thiadiazole; R² is H or alkyl; R³ is H, COR⁵, COOR⁵, and CONR⁵R⁶; R⁴ is H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, mono or bicyclic heteroaryl, aralkyl, and mono or bicyclic heteroaralkyl, wherein the aryl or heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted; R⁵ and R⁶ are H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, adamantyl, and noradamantyl or R⁵ and R⁶ taken together may form a 5-7 membered azacyclic ring, optionally containing an additional heteroatom selected from O, S, or NR⁴; when R⁵ or R⁶ are chosen from cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl, the cyclic group may optionally be substituted at the 1-position with a C₁-C₃ alkyl group;

or an optical isomer; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.