The formation of (E)-3-{2-(2,5-diphenylpyrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-7-yl)hydrazono}indolin-2-ones 3 has been achieved by condensation of equimolar amounts of 7-hydrazino-2,5-diphenylpyrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine (1) and isatin (or isatin derivatives) 2at room temperature. The (E)-products could be isomerized into corresponding the (Z)-3 isomers. Reactions of the latter fused heterocyclic hydrazones towards different electro-philic reagents yielded the corresponding 3-substituted derivatives 4–7. Dehydrative cyclisation of the hydrazones 3 using phosphorus oxychloride afforded the 2,5-diphenyl- indolo[2,3-e]pyrazolo[1',5':3",4"]pyrimido[2",1"-c][1,2,4] triazines 13. The polyfused heterocyclic ring system 13 underwent electrophilic substitution reactions at position 4 rather than at position 3. The 3-bromo isomer of 17 was prepared by a sequence of reactions starting from 2,5-diphenylpyrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine-7(6H)-thione (11). The orientation of the electrophilic attack was supported by spectroscopic and chemical evidence. Some of the synthesized compounds were found to possess slight to moderate activity against the microorganisms Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.