herpes simplex viruses we have also discovered similar activity to reside in the precursor base 4 hydroxy 1 2 3 triazole 5 carboxamide and in its novel sodium salt physiologically acceptable water soluble alkaline earth and alkali metal eg sodium or potassium salts may be secured as by the general procedure of example 2 infra with appropriate choice of ethoxide reagent and other such salts eg ammonium or alkylamine there secured by eg ion exchange the manner in which the compounds of the invention may be used generally follows the disclosures contained in the commonly assigned applications of richard l tolman et al ser no 265 482 filed june 23 1972 now u s pat no 3 836 645 and j t witkowski et al ser no 340 332 filed mar 12 1973 respectively for 34 3 deazanucleosides 34 and 34 1 2 4 triazole 3 carboxamides as antiviral agents 34 the disclosures of those applications are incorporated herein by reference to a solution of sodium ethoxide obtained from sodium 2 3 g 0 10 mole and absolute ethanol 150 ml was added malondiamide 10 2 g 0 10 mole the mixture was stirred until most of the malondiamide dissolved p toluenesulfonyl azide 19 7 g 0 10 mole was dissolved in ethanol 20 ml and added dropwise with stirring the thick mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 min and heated under reflux in an oil bath for an additional 30 min the mixture was.