Preferentially substituted calcium channel blockers

1. A compound of the formula:

or the salt or stereoisomeric forms thereof,

wherein each R 1 –R 3 is independently a non-interfering substituent; and

wherein a combination of R 2 and R 3 may form a bridge between phenyl groups, which may be a bond or a CR 2 group, an NR group, O, or S wherein the S is optionally oxidized;

n 1 is 0–4 and n 2 and n 3 are independently 0–5; and

wherein X is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) alkyl (1–12C) or alkenyl (2–12C) optionally including one or more N, O or S with the proviso that any N included in a ring is secondary or is tertiary solely because of an alkyl substitution;

(b) aryl, provided that if aryl is phenyl or pyridyl, said aryl must contain at least one substituent and wherein if said aryl is phenyl and contains only one substituent, said substituent must comprise an aryl group or a trialkylsilyl group and wherein said phenyl is not 2,3-dimethylphenyl or fused to an aliphatic ring;

(c) —CRH-aryl wherein R is H, alkyl, or a heteroaromatic ring, wherein when R is H, aryl is optionally substituted 4-pyridyl, or is substituted phenyl other than phenyl fused to an aliphatic ring, or is substituted naphthyl or is substituted 5-membered aryl; and

(d) -alkylene-aryl wherein said alkylene contains at least 2 C, and further optionally contains one heteroatom and/or is substituted by ═O and/or OH provided that if said alkylene is CH 2 CH 2 , CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 , CH 2 CH 2 O or CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 O, and said aryl is phenyl, said phenyl must be substituted; and if said alkylene is CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 O substituted by OH, said aryl is other than substituted quinolyl or monosubstituted phenyl.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein each R 1 –R 3 is independently halo, NO, NO 2 , CN, SO 2 H, SO 3 H, optionally substituted alkyl (1–12C), alkenyl (2–12C), alkynyl (2–12C), aryl (6–12C) or arylalkyl, arylalkenyl or arylalkynyl (each 7–16C) wherein in each of the foregoing 1–4C may be replaced by a heteroatom (Si, N, O and/or S) and wherein said optional substituents may include ═O and wherein when alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl comprises at least one cyclic moiety, the number of C contained may be up to and including 18, wherein one or more C may be replaced by a heteroatom, and

wherein two substituents at adjacent positions on the same ring may form a 3–7 membered saturated or unsaturated ring fused to said substituted ring, said fused ring is optionally itself substituted and optionally contains one or more heteroatoms (N, S, O), and

wherein R 1 may be keto.

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein X is alkyl (1–12C) or alkenyl (2–12C) optionally including one or more N, O or S with the proviso that any N included in a ring is secondary or is tertiary solely because of an alkyl substitution.

4. The compound of claim 3 , wherein X is acyclic.

5. The compound of claim 1 , wherein X is aryl, provided that if aryl is phenyl or pyridyl, said aryl must contain at least one substituent and wherein if said aryl is phenyl and contains only one substituent, said substituent must comprise an aryl group or a trialkylsilyl group and wherein said phenyl is not 2,3-dimethylphenyl or fused to an aliphatic ring.

6. The compound of claim 5 , wherein X is benzimidazole, benzothiazole, or substituted phenyl.

7. The compound of claim 1 , wherein —CRH-aryl wherein R is H, alkyl, or a heteroaromatic ring, wherein when R is H, aryl is optionally substituted 4-pyridyl, or is substituted phenyl other than phenyl fused to an aliphatic ring, or is substituted naphthyl or is substituted 5-membered aryl.

8. The compound of claim 7 , wherein R is cyclopropyl or a thiophene residue.

9. The compound of claim 1 , wherein X is

-alkylene-aryl wherein said alkylene contains at least 2 C, and further optionally contains one heteroatom and/or is substituted by ═O and/or OH provided that if said alkylene is CH 2 CH 2 , CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 , CH 2 CH 2 O or CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 O, and said aryl is phenyl, said phenyl must be substituted; and if said alkylene is CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 O substituted by OH, said aryl is other than substituted quinolyl or monosubstituted phenyl.

10. The compound of claim 9 , wherein said alkylene comprises a keto substituent.

11. The compound of claim 9 , wherein X is substituted phenyl coupled to (CH 2 ) n or through a bond to Y to Y(CH 2 ) n , wherein n is 2–5, and Y is NH, O or S.

12. The compound of claim 1 , wherein at least one of n1–n3 is 0.

13. The compound of claim 1 , wherein n1 is 0 or R 1 is alkyl.

14. The compound of claim 1 , wherein both n2 and n3 are 0.

15. The compound of claim 1 , wherein all of n1–n3 are 0.

16. The compound of claim 1 which is

1-{4-[4-(4-Fluoro-benzyl)-phenyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-benzyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[3-(4-Amino-2,3,5-trimethyl-phenoxy)-2-hydroxy-propyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-Adamantan-1-ylmethyl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-Benzothiazol-2-yl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-{4-[2-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(3,4-Dimethoxy-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(Benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

N-(2,6-Dimethyl-phenyl)-2-[4-(3,3-diphenyl-propionyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-acetamide;

2-[4-(3,3-Diphenyl-propionyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-N-methyl-N-phenyl-acetamide;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-[4-(1-phenyl-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(2-Diallylamino-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(2-Dipropylamino-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-sec-Butyl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(1-Ethyl-propyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(1-Methyl-piperidin-3-ylmethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-Heptyl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-(4-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-piperazin-1-yl)-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(3,5-Dichloro-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-Cycloheptyl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(3,4-Dimethyl-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-(4-Biphenyl-4-yl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(1-Methyl-piperidin-4-ylmethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

N-{2-[4-(3,3-Diphenyl-propionyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-ethyl}-3,4,5-trimethoxy-benzamide;

1-(4-Isopropyl-piperazin-1-yl)-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(3-Dimethylamino-propyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-[4-(4-trimethylsilanyl-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-[4-(2-phenylamino-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(2,4-Difluoro-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-{4-[2-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-propan-1-one;

1-[4-(1-Benzyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl)-piperazin-1-yl]-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

3,3-Diphenyl-1-[4-(phenyl-thiophen-2-yl-methyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[Cyclopropyl-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-methyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

(4-{2-[4-(3,3-Diphenyl-propionyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-ethoxy}-2,3,6-trimethyl-phenyl)-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester;

1-{4-[2-(4-Amino-2,3,5-trimethyl-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(4-Methoxy-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yloxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(2,4-Dichloro-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one;

1-{4-[2-(4-Fluoro-phenoxy)-ethyl]-piperazin-1-yl}-3,3-diphenyl-propan-1-one; or

3,3-Diphenyl-1-[4-(2-phenylsulfanyl-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-propan-1-one;

or a salt thereof.

17. A pharmaceutical composition for use in treating conditions characterized by abnormal calcium channel activity which composition comprises, in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, a dosage amount of at least one compound of claim 1 .

18. A method to treat conditions associated with abnormal calcium channel activity in a subject which method comprises administering to a subject in need of such treatment at least one compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.