Indane acetic acid derivatives and their use as pharmaceutical agents

1. A compound of Formula (I),

wherein

R and R 1 is H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

R 2 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or phenyl which may be unsubstituted or substituted with R 3 ;

R 3 is H, halo, NO 2 , CF 3 , 2,3-methylenedioxy, 3,4-methylenedioxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylthio,

C 1 -C 6 alkyl optionally substituted with oxo or hydroxy, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy optionally substituted with fluoro, or —COOH or —COOC 1 -C 6 alkyl.

R 4 is NH(Y—R 6 ) or N(Y—R 6 ) 2 ;

Y is a bond, —SO 2— —, or —C(O)—;

R 6 is H, aryl, benzyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxyalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or heteroaryl, each of which can be substituted by R 3 ,

or

when Y is a bond, two R 6 groups may form, together with the N atom to which they are attached, a 3-7 membered heterocyclic ring optionally containing an additional N, S, or O atom, which is optionally substituted by N(R 7 ) 2 or N + (R 5 ) 3 , and

R 5 is C 1 -C 6 alkyl optionally substituted with phenyl,

R 7 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl substituted with R 3 ; and

X is O;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , are defined as in claim 1 ;

R 4 is NH(Y—R 6 ) or N(Y—R 6 ) 2 ,

Y is a bond,

R 6 is aryl, benzyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxyalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or heteroaryl, each of which can be substituted by R 3 ,

or

two R 6 groups may form, together with the N atom to which they are attached, a 3-7 membered heterocyclic ring optionally containing an additional N, S, or O atom, which is optionally substituted by N(R 7 ) 2 or N + (R 5 ) 3 , and

R 7 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl substituted with R 3 ; and

X is O.

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , are defined as in claim 1 ;

R 4 is NH(Y—R 6 ) or N(Y—R 6 ) 2 ,

Y is —SO 2 —,

R 6 is H, aryl, benzyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxyalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or heteroaryl, each of which can be substituted by R 3 , and

R 7 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl substituted with R 3 , and

X is O.

4. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , are defined as in claim 1 ;

R 4 is NH(Y—R 6 ) or N(Y—R 6 ) 2 ,

Y is —C(O)—,

R 6 is H, aryl, benzyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxyalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or heteroaryl, each of which can be substituted by R 3 , and

R 7 is H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl or phenyl substituted with R 3 , and

X is O.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and one or more hypoglycemic agents.

7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6 , wherein said hypoglycemic agent is selected from the group consisting of insulin, biguanidines, sulfonylureas, insulin secretagogues, α-glycosidase inhibitors, and β 3 -adrenoreceptor agonists.

8. A method of treating diabetes or diabetes-related disorders selected from the group consisting of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

9. A method of treating Syndrome X comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

10. A method of treating obesity comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

11. A method of treating cardiovascular disease selected from the group consisting of atherosclerotic disease, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, decreased HDL levels, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and coronary artery disease comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 .

12. A method of treating diabetes or diabetes-related disorders selected from the group consisting of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and insulin resistance comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 in combination with one or more hypoglycemic agents.

13. A method of treating Syndrome X comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 in combination with one or more hypoglycemic agents.