Tethered dimers and trimers of 1,4-diphenylazetidin-2-ones

1 . A compound of formula

wherein

R 1 and R 2 are chosen from H, halogen, —OH, loweralkyl, —O-loweralkyl, —CN, —S-loweralkyl, amino, lower alkylamino, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, acyl, a sugar, a glucuronide and a sugar carbamate;

R 3 is chosen from H, —OH, fluoro and —O-loweralkyl;

R 3a is chosen from H and fluoro, or R 3a and R 3 together are ═O;

R 4 is chosen from H, halogen, —OH, loweralkyl, —O-loweralkyl, —CN, —S-loweralkyl, amino, lower alkylamino, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl and acyl;

Q a , Q b and Q c are independently chosen from a direct bond, —O—, —S—, —NH—, —CH 2 O—, —CH 2 NH—, —OCH 2 CONH—, —OCH 2 COO—, —C(═O)—, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —O(C═O)—, —(C═O)O—, —NHCONH—, —OCONH— and —NHCOO—;

n is 2 or 3;

m is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and m=n; and

A has a valency of n and is chosen from C 2 to C 20 hydrocarbon, substituted alkyl of 2 to 20 carbons, perfluoroalkyl of 2 to 20 carbons, substituted aryl, polyaryl of 3 to 20 aryl groups, substituted arylalkyl, oxaalkyl of four to fifty carbons, azaalkyl of four to fifty carbons, thiaalkyl of four to fifty carbons, a residue of an oligopeptide of two to twenty amino acids, a residue of a monosaccharide or of a polysaccharide of 2 to 100 saccharide residues; and, when Q a and Q b are —O(C═O)— or —NHCO—, A may additionally be methylene.

2 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein m=zero of formula:

3 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein m=n of formula:

4 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein n is 3 and W is trivalent.

5 . A compound according to claim 4 wherein Q a , Q b and Q c are independently chosen from —O—, —CH 2 O—, —OCH 2 CONH—, —OCH 2 COO—, —(C═O)O—, and —NHCOO—; and

A is a polysaccharide of 2 to 20 saccharide residues, a branched oxaalkyl of four to fifty carbons or a monoazaalkyl of four to ten carbons.

6 . A compound according to claim 4 wherein

Q a , Q b and Q c are independently chosen from —CH 2 O—, —CH 2 NH—, —OCH 2 CONH—, —OCH 2 COO—, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —O(C═O)—, —(C═O)O—, —NHCONH—, —OCONH— and —NHCOO—;

and

A is an oligopeptide.

7 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein n is 2 and W is divalent of formula:

8 . A compound according to claim 7 wherein

Q a and Q b are independently chosen from —O—, —CH 2 O—, —OCH 2 CONH—, —OCH 2 COO—, —(C═O)O—, and —NHCOO—; and

A is poly(oxyethylene) or a polysaccharide of 2 to 20 saccharide residues.

9 . A compound according to claim 7 wherein

Q a and Q b are independently chosen —CH 2 O—, —CH 2 NH—, —OCH 2 CONH—, —OCH 2 COO—, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —O(C═O)—, —(C═O)O—, —NHCONH—, —OCONH— and —NHCOO—;

and

A is an oligopeptide.

10 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein

R 1 and R 2 are chosen from H, halogen, —OH, and methoxy;

R 3 is —OH; and

R 4 is fluoro.

11 . A compound according to claim 1 wherein

R 1 and R 2 are chosen from a sugar, a glucuronide and a sugar carbamate;

R 3 is —OH; and

R 4 is fluoro.

12 . A compound according to claim 1 of formula:

13 . A compound according to claim 12 wherein W is chosen from —OCH 2 CH═CHCH 2 O—,

14 . A compound according to claim 1 chosen from the group consisting of

15 . A pharmaceutical formulation comprising a compound according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

16 . A pharmaceutical formulation according to claim 15 additionally comprising an inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis.

17 . A method for treating a disorder of lipid metabolism comprising administering a to a mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 .

18 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein said disorder of lipid metabolism is hyperlipidemia.

19 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein said disorder of lipid metabolism is arteriosclerosis.

20 . A method for inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine of a mammal, which comprises administering an effective cholesterol-absorption-inhibiting amount of a compound according to claim 1 to the mammal.

21 - 30 . (canceled)