2-pyridinylethylbenzamide derivatives

1. A compound of formula (I):

in which:

n is 1, 2, or 3;

p is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

R a is a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms;

each substituent X is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl and a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl;

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a sulfanyl group, a formyl group, a formyloxy group, a formylamino group, a carboxy group, a carbamoyl group, a N-hydroxycarbamoyl group, a carbamate group, a (hydroxyimino)-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfanyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyloxy, a C 2 -C 6 -halogenoalkenyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -alkynyloxy, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenoalkynyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbamoyl, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbamoyl, a N—C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbamoyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbamoyl, a N—C 1 -C 6 -alkyl-C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbamoyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxycarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonylamino having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylaminocarbonyloxy, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylaminocarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphenyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphinyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphinyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a benzyl, a benzyloxy, a benzylsulfanyl, a benzylsulfinyl, a benzylsulfonyl, a benzylamino, a phenoxy, a phenylsulfanyl, a phenylsulfinyl, a phenylsulfonyl, a phenylamino, a phenylcarbonylamino, a 2,6 dichlorophenyl-carbonylamino group or a phenyl group; or R 1 and R 2 may form together a cyclopropyl, a cylcobutyl, a cyclopentyl and a cyclohexyl;

R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, and a phenyl group;

with the proviso that when three of the four substituents R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are a hydrogen atom, then the fourth substituent is not a hydrogen atom;

R 5 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a formyl group, a hydroxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -cyanoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -aminoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbonyl, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl, a C 3 -C 7 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -benzyloxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfonyl and a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms;

each substituent Y is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a sulfanyl group, a pentafluoro-λ 6 -sulfanyl group, a formyl group, a formyloxy group, a formylamino group, a carboxy group, a C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 8 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 8 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylamino, a di-C 1 -C 8 -alkylamino, a C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy-C 2 -C 8 -alkenyl, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkylsulfanyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkoxycarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylcarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkylcarbonyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylsulphenyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkylsulphenyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylsulphinyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkylsulphinyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 8 -alkylsulphonyl, a C 1 -C 8 -halogenoalkylsulphonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms and a C 1 -C 8 -alkylsulfonamide; and

R b is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, an amino group, a sulfanyl group, a pentafluoro-λ 6 -sulfanyl group, a formyl group, a formyloxy group, a formylamino group, a carboxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfanyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxycarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphenyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphinyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphinyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms and a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfonamide;

as well as a salt, N-oxide, or optically active isomer thereof.

2. The compound of claim 1 wherein n is 1 or 2.

3. The compound of claim 1 wherein X is a halogen atom.

4. The compound of claim 3 wherein X is chlorine.

5. The compound of claim 1 wherein R a is —CF 3 .

6. The compound of claim 1 wherein the 2-pyridyl is substituted in the 3- and/or in the 5-position.

7. The compound of claim 6 wherein the 2-pyridyl is substituted in the 3-position by X and in the 5-position by R a .

8. The compound of claim 1 wherein the 2-pyridyl is substituted in the 3-position by —Cl and in the 5-position by —CF 3 .

9. The compound of claim 1 wherein R b is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy and a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms.

10. The compound of claim 1 wherein p is 1.

11. The compound of claim 1 wherein each substituent Y is independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom and a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl.

12. The compound of claim 1 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfinyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonylamino and a phenyl group.

13. The compound of claim 12 wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, and a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonylamino.

14. The compound of claim 1 wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms and a phenyl group.

15. The compound of claim 1 wherein R 5 is a hydrogen atom or a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl.

16. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) as defined in claim 1 , which comprises reacting a 2-pyridine derivative of formula (II) or one of its salts:

wherein R 5 is hydrogen,

with a carboxylic acid derivative of the formula (III)

in which: L 2 is a leaving group selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, —OR 6 , —OCOR 6 , R 6 being a C 1 -C 6 alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, a benzyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, pentafluorophenyl, and a group of the formula

in the presence of a catalyst and, if L 2 is a hydroxyl group, in the presence of a condensing agent; then completing the process by a step according to the following reaction scheme:

in which: L 5 is a leaving group chosen as being a halogen atom, a 4-methyl phenylsulfonyloxy or a methylsulfonyloxy;

comprising the reaction of a compound of general formula (Id) with a compound of formula (XXII) to provide a compound of formula (I).