Cyanothiophene derivatives, compositions containing such compounds and methods of use

1. A compound represented by formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof wherein:

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of: H, C 1-10 alkyl, Aryl, Heteroaryl and Heterocyclyl,

said alkyl, Aryl, Heteroaryl and Heterocyclyl being optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from R 6 ;

R 2 represents NR 4 R 5 ,

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-10 alkyl and Aryl, said alkyl and Aryl being optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from R 6 ;

R 4 is selected from H and C 1-10 alkyl,

R 5 is C 1-10 alkyl having 1–2 R 6 groups attached;

R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, Aryl, Heteroaryl, Heterocyclyl, OR 7 , SR 7 , S(O) m R 8 , S(O) 2 OR 8 , S(O) m NR 7 R 8 , NO 2 , NR 7 R 8 , O(CR 9 R 10 ) n NR 7 R 8 , C(O)R 8 , CO 2 R 7 , CO 2 (CR 9 R 10 ) n CONR 7 R 8 , OC(O)R 8 , CN, C(O)NR 7 R 8 , NR 7 C(O)R 8 , OC(O)NR 7 R 8 , NR 7 C(O)OR 8 , NR 7 C(O)NR 8 R 9 , CR 7 (NOR 8 ), (CR 9 R 10 ) n -Aryl, (CR 9 R 10 ) n -Heteroaryl, (CR 9 R 10 ) n -Heterocyclyl, CF 3 and OCF 3 ;

wherein m is 0, 1 or 2 and n is an integer from 1 to 7, and the alkyl, Heterocyclyl, Aryl and Heteroaryl groups and portions are optionally substituted with 1–4 substituents selected from a group independently selected from R 11 ;

R 7 , R 9 and R 10 are independently selected from the group consisting of: H, C 1-7 alkyl, Aryl, Ar—C 1-10 alkyl and mono-, di- and tri- halo substituted Ar—C 1-10 alkyl,

or one R 9 and one R 10 are taken together with the atoms to which they are attached and any intervening atoms and represent a ring of 3 to 8 members containing 0–2 heteroatoms independently selected from 0, S and N;

R 8 is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-10 alkyl, Aryl and C 1-10 alkyl-Aryl; and

R 11 is selected from the group consisting of: halo, CN, C 1-4 alkyl, Aryl, CF 3 and OH.

2. A compound represented by formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof wherein:

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of: H, C 1-10 alkyl, Aryl, Heteroaryl and Heterocyclyl,

said alkyl, Aryl, Heteroaryl and Heterocyclyl being optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from R 6 ;

R 2 represents C 1-10 alkyl substituted with one to two R 6 groups;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of: C 1-10 alkyl and Aryl, said alkyl and Aryl being optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from R 6 ;

each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of: OR 7 , Aryl, mono-halophenyl and di-halophenyl.

3. A compound of the formula I:

wherein:

R 1 represents methyl;

R 3 represents 3-pentyl, and R 2 is selected from the table below:

R 2

4. A compound selected from the group consisting of:

N-[3-cyano-5-(3-isobutyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[3-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[5-(3-tert-butyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[5-(3-benzyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(3-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(3-pyridin-2-yl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(3-pyridin-3-yl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(3-pyridin-4-yl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[3-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(3-cyano-5-{3-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl}-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[3-(2,4-difluorobenzyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{5-[3-(2-chloro-4-fluorobenzyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(5-{3-[1-(2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)cyclopentyl]-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl}-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[3-(mesitylmethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(3-cyano-5-{3-[4-fluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl}-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(5-{3-[2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl}-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-5-(5-isobutyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[5-(4-tert-butyl-1,3-oxazol-2-yl)-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[4-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-1,3-oxazol-2-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(3-cyano-4-methyl-5-pyridin-4-ylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)(3,3-dimethylbutyl)amino]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{5-[benzyl(isopropyl)amino]-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)(isopropyl)amino]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-5-(diisobutylamino)-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{5-[benzyl(isobutyl)amino]-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)(isobutyl)amino]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[(2,4-dichlorophenyl)(hydroxy)methyl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-(3-cyano-5-{[(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)(isobutyl)amino]methyl}-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

tert-butyl 4-{4-cyano-5-[(2-ethylbutanoyl)amino]-3-methylthien-2-yl}piperazine-1-carboxylate;

N-[3-cyano-4-methyl-5-(4-pyridin-2-ylpiperazin-1-yl)thien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-[5-(4-benzylpiperazin-1-yl)-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl]-2-ethylbutanamide;

N-{3-cyano-5-[4-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)piperazin-1-yl]-4-methylthien-2-yl}-2-ethylbutanamide; and

N-(5-{[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]methyl}-3-cyano-4-methylthien-2-yl)-2-ethylbutanamide, as well as the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof.

5. A pharmaceutical composition which is comprised of a compound in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

6. A method of treating type 2 diabetes mellitus in a mammalian patient in need of such treatment, comprising administering to said patient a compound in accordance with claim 1 in an amount that is effective to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.

7. A method of preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a mammalian patient in need thereof, comprising administering to said patient a compound in accordance with claim 1 in an amount that is effective to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

8. A method of delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a mammalian patient in need of such treatment, comprising administering to said patient a compound in accordance with claim 2 in an amount that is effective to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus.

9. A method of delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a mammalian patient in need thereof, comprising administering to said patient a compound in accordance with claim 2 in an amount that is effective to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus.