Biaromatic compound activators of PPARγ-type receptors

1. A compound having the following structural formula (I):

in which R 1 is a radical of formula (a) below:

wherein Y is as defined below; R 2 and R 3 , which may be identical or different, are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an aryl radical, a halogen atom, a radical —OR 7 , a polyether radical, a nitro group or an amino group which may optionally be substituted with one or more alkyl radicals having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein R 7 is as defined below; X is the structural linkage below:

—(CH 2 ) m —(Z) n —(CO) p —(W) q —

wherein said structural linkage can be read from left to right or vice versa, and Z, W, m, n, p and q are as defined below; R 4 is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an aryl radical, an aralkyl radical, or a 9-fluorenylmethyl radical; Y is a sulfur atom ; R 7 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an aralkyl radical; Z is an oxygen or sulfur atom or a radical —N—R 12 , wherein R 12 is as defined below; W is an oxygen or sulfur atom, a radical —NR 13 or a ═CH 2 radical, wherein R 13 is as defined below; m, n, p and q, which may be identical or different, are each 0 or 1, with the proviso that the sum m+n+p+q is greater than or equal to 2 and that when p is 0 then n or q is equal to 0; R 12 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; R 13 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; or an optical or geometrical isomer or salt thereof.

2. A compound as defined by claim 1 , comprising an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt, zinc salt or organoamine salt thereof.

3. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein and at least one of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 7 , R 12 , R 13 is an alkyl radical substituent having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, butyl, tert-butyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl and dodecyl radicals.

4. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of R 2 and R 3 is polyether radical substituent having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms interrupted with at least one oxygen atom.

5. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of R 2 and R 3 is halogen selected from the group consisting of a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom and a bromine atom.

6. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of R 2 and R 3 is —OR 7 wherein R 7 is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

7. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is an aryl radical substituent, wherein the aryl radical substituent is a phenyl radical which is optionally monosubstituted or disubstituted with a halogen atom, a CF 3 radical, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy radical having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a nitro group, a polyether radical, a hydroxyl radical optionally protected with an acetyl or benzoyl group or an amino group optionally protected with an acetyl or benzoyl group or optionally substituted with at least one alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

8. A compound as defined by either of claim 1 or 2 , wherein at least one of R 4 and R 7 is an aralkyl radical substituent wherein the aralkyl radical substituent is a benzyl or phenethyl radical which is optionally monosubstituted or disubstituted with a halogen atom, a CF 3 radical, an alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a hydroxyl radical, an alkoxy radical having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a nitro group, a polyether radical, a hydroxyl radical optionally protected with an acetyl or benzoyl group or an amino group optionally protected with an acetyl or benzoyl group or optionally substituted with at least one alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

9. A compound as defined by claim 1 , selected from the group consisting of:

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]benzamide;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-3-phenylurea

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-1-methyl-3-phenylurea;

tert-Butyl [4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]methylcarbamate;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylnonanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-ethylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-pentylbenzamide;

tert-Butyl [4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]ethylcarbamate;

tert-Butyl [4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]propylcarbamate;

9H-Fluoren-9-ylmethyl [4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]methylcarbamate;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-2,2,N-trimethylpropionamide;

N-Octyl-4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-carboxamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-3-phenylpropionamide;

2-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-N-phenylacetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidenemethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-propylbenzamide;

tert-Butyl [4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-yl]carbamate;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-3,4-diethoxy-N-methylbenzamide;

N-Benzyl-N-methyl-4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-carboxamide;

N-Benzyl-4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-carboxamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyldecanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-2-phenylacetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylheptanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-2-phenylacetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-4-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-3-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-3,N-dimethylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-4-propylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-4,N-dimethylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-4-ethoxy-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-4-fluoro-N-methylbenzamide;

4-Dimethylamino-N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylbenzamide;

3,5-Dichloro-N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylhexanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-2-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide;

4-Butoxy-N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylbenzamide;

4-{[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]methylcarbamoyl}phenyl acetate;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-4-hydroxy-N-methylbenzamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-2N-dimethylbenzamide;

2-Butyl-N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

4-Acetylamino-N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylbenzamide;

Hexyl N-[4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methylcarbamate;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-3-phenylurea;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-2-phenylacetamide;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-phenylurea;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-3-heptyl-1-methylurea;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidenemethyl)]biphenyl N-phenylcarbamate;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidenemethyl)]biphenyl N-heptylcarbamate;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)]biphenyl phenylacetate;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)]biphenyl nonanoate;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)]biphenyl N-heptylcarbamate;

3-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)]biphenyl N-phenylcarbamate;

N-[6-Benzyloxy-4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidene-methyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-6-hydroxybiphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4-Benzyloxy-4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylidene-methyl)biphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4″-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-[1,1′;3′,1″]terphenyl-5′-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-2′-methylbiphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-3′-methylbiphenyl-3-ylmethyl]-N-methyloctanamide;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-ethyl-3-phenylurea;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethy)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyldecanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methylnonanamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-2-(4-butoxyphenyl)acetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)acetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-2-(4-ethoxyphenyl)acetamide;

N-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-N-methyl-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-(4-butoxyphenyl)urea;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)urea;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)urea;

1-[4′-(2,4-Dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-(4-hydroxy phenyl)urea;

5-{3′-[Methyl-(2-oxo-2-phenyl ethyl)amino]biphenyl-4-ylmethyl}thiazolidine-2,4-dione;

5-[3′-(Methylphenethylamino)biphenyl-4-ylmethyl]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione;

Phenyl [4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)biphenyl-3-yl]methylcarbamate; and

tert-Butyl [4′-(2,4-dioxothiazolidin-5-ylmethyl)-biphenyl-3-yl]methylcarbamate or mixture thereof.

10. A compound as defined by claim 1 , wherein formula (I), R 1 is the radical of formula (a) and X is a structural linkage —CH 2 —N(R 12 )—CO—, —NR 12 —(CO)—NR 13 or NR 12 —(CO)—CH 2 —, these linkages being read from left to right or vice versa.

11. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising at least one compound as defined by claim 1 , formulated into a pharmaceutically acceptable support therefor.

12. The pharmaceutical composition as defined by claim 11 , comprising from 0.001% to 10% by weight of said at least one compound.

13. The pharmaceutical composition as defined by claim 11 , comprising from 0.01% to 1% by weight of said at least one compound.

14. A compound as defined by claim 6 , wherein at least one of R 2 and R 3 is —OR 7 , wherein —OR 7 is selected from the group consisting of methoxy, ethoxy, isopropyloxy, tert-butoxy and hexyloxy radicals.