Identification of the "endothelial relaxation factor" as the endogenic NO formed from L-arginine in the vascular endothelium [1] has stimulated the search for new generation of cardiovascular drugs [2][3][4][5]. At present, it has been established that biochemical synthesis of NO proceeds by different pathways. Exogenic organic nitrates (nitroglycerin, nitrosorbid, and other classical vasodilators) are subject to reduction [6], as well as the new NO precursors such as N-nitropyrazoles [7] and furoxanes [8]. On the contrary, L-arginine -the main NO source in the organism -is oxidized by the enzyme NO-synthase (NOS) to . NOS is also capable of forming NO from [3-mercaptoethylguanidine [9,10]. Study of the weU-known vasodilator molsidomin showed that this agent generates NO by reaction with atmospheric oxygen [3]. It was found that 1,2-diazetine-l,2-dioxides form NO upon thermolysis and/or hydrolysis [I1]. Muller et al. [12] reported on the use of (+)-3-(E)-4ethyl-2[(E)-hydroxyimino]-5-nitro-3-hexenamide (FK 409) as the NO donor in solutions at pH -7.5, but failed t o establish a group (oxime, nitro, or both) acting as the source of NO [12]. Recently we have demonstrated that 3-quinuclidone oximes may serve as the source of NO and activate the soluble guanylate cyclase [13]. The purpose of this work was to extend the group of oximes and study their hypotensive activity.The NO precursors were obtained on the basis of both well-known (Va/VIa, Vb/VIb, Ve/VIe, Vi/VIi) [14], (Vc/VIc, Vd/VId, VIIb] [13], and newly synthesized (VfiVlfVh/VIh) 2-arylmethylene-3-quinuclidone oximes and their hydrogenated analogs IXb and IXe. The compact rind framework structure of quinuclidine (1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) provides spatial fixation of the substituents and sufficiently high solubility of hydrochlorides, while the double bond in position 2 sometimes allows us to obtain the (Z/E) isomer