α-amino acid derivatives and use thereof as medicines

1. An α-amino acid derivative of the formula (I)

wherein

R 1 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, alkyl or alkoxy,

R 2 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, alkyl or alkoxy, or

R 1 and R 2 are joined to form oxo, hydroxyimino, alkoxyimino or alkylidene,

X is CH—R 3 ,

Y is S,

Z is a hydrogen atom or cyano,

m and n are each 0, 1 or 2, wherein the sum of m and n is 2,

when p is 1,

R 3 is —NR 7 R 8

wherein R 7 and R 8 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, or are optionally bonded to each other to form heterocycle having at least one nitrogen atom, and optionally having other further hetero atom(s),

wherein the heterocycle is optionally substituted or condensed with an aromatic ring optionally having substituent(s),

—NR 9 COR 10

wherein R 9 and R 10 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylalkenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle,

—NR 11 CONR 12 R 13

wherein R 11 , R 12 and R 13 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, or R 12 and R 13 are optionally bonded to each other to form heterocycle having at least one nitrogen atom, and optionally having other further hetero atom(s),

wherein the heterocycle is optionally substituted or condensed with an aromatic ring optionally having substituent(s),

—NR 14 SO 2 R 15

wherein R 14 and R 15 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle,

—OR 16 or —OCOR 17

wherein R 16 and R 17 are each a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle, and

when p is 0, and R 3 is of formula (II)

wherein

is a single bond or a double bond,

R 22 is aryl or heteroaryl,

Q is 1 or 2, and

A is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom,

provided that i) when A is a carbon atom, then A is optionally substituted by a hydroxyl group, carboxyl or alkoxycarbonyl, and ii) when A is a nitrogen atom, then

is a single bond,

wherein, of the above-mentioned groups, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl and heterocycle optionally have substituent(s), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The α-amino acid derivative of claim 1 , wherein m=2 and n=0.

3. The α-amino acid derivative of claim 1 , wherein R 3 is the formula (II).

4. The α-amino acid derivative of claim 3 , wherein R 1 =R 2 =Z=H, q=1 and A=N.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an α-amino acid derivative of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier.

6. A method of producing a compound of claim 1 , which comprises a method of producing a compound of formula (III)

wherein

X′is CH—R 3 ,

R 23 is —COR 24

wherein R 24 is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle, or

—COOR 25

wherein R 25 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle,

R 1 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, alkyl or alkoxy,

R 2 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, alkyl or alkoxy, or

R 1 and R 2 are joined to form oxo, hydroxyimino, alkoxyimino or alkylidene,

Y is S,

Z is a hydrogen atom or cyano,

m and n are each 0, 1 or 2, wherein the sum of m and n is 2,

p is 0 or 1

R 3 is —NR 7 R 8

wherein R 7 and R 8 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, or are optionally bonded to each other to form heterocycle having at least one nitrogen atom, and optionally having other further hetero atom(s),

wherein the heterocycle is optionally substituted or condensed with an aromatic ring optionally having substituent(s),

—NR 9 COR 10

wherein R 9 and R 10 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylalkenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle,

—NR 11 CONR 12 R 13

wherein R 11 , R 12 and R 13 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, or R 12 and R 13 are optionally bonded to each other to form heterocycle having at least one nitrogen atom, and optionally having other further hetero atom(s),

wherein the heterocycle is optionally substituted or condensed with an aromatic ring optionally having substituent(s),

—NR 14 SO 2 R 15

wherein R 14 and R 15 are optionally the same or different and each independently is a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle,

—OR 16 or —OCOR 17

wherein R 16 and R 17 are each a hydrogen atom, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl or heterocycle, and

wherein, of the above-mentioned groups, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl and heterocycle optionally have substituent(s)

comprising use of a compound of formula (III) in which X′ is C═O as an intermediate.

7. A method of therapeutically treating type II diabetes or obesity in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 to treat type II diabetes or obesity in the subject.

8. A method of therapeutically treating type II diabetes or obesity in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of claim 2 to treat type II diabetes or obesity in the subject.

9. A method of therapeutically treating type II diabetes or obesity in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of claim 3 to treat type II diabetes or obesity in the subject.

10. A method of therapeutically treating type II diabetes or obesity in a subject comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of claim 4 to treat type II diabetes or obesity in the subject.