Phenylalanine derivatives as alpha 4 integrin inhibitors

1. A compound of formula I:

wherein

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, or R 1 and R 2 , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, are joined to form an optionally substituted heterocyclic ring provided that said substituted alkyl, substituted alkenyl and substituted cycloalkyl do not carry an aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl group;

R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of -L 2 (Alk 3 ) t L 3 (R 7 ) u in which L 2 and L 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of a covalent bond, a linker atom, and a linker group, wherein

the linker atom is selected from —O—and —S—, and

the linker group is selected from —C(O)—, —C(O)O—, —OC(O)—, —C(S)—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —NR 11 —, —CON(R 11 )—, —OC(O)N(R 11 )—, —CSN(R 11 —, —N(R 11 )CO—, —N(R 11 )C(O)O—, —N(R 11 )CS—, —S(O) 2 N(R 11 )—, —N(R 11 )S(O) 2 —, —N(R 11 )CON(R 11 ), —N(R 11 )CSN(R 11 )—, and —N(R 11 )SO 2 N(R 11 )— groups,

t is zero or the integer 1,

u is an integer 1, 2, or 3,

Alk 3 is an aliphatic or heteroaliphatic chain, and

R 7 is hydrogen or halogen atom or a group selected from alkyl, —OR 8 , —SR 8 , —NR 8 R 9 , —NO 2 , —CN, —CO 2 R 8 , —SO 3 H, —SOR 8 , —SO 2 R 8 , —OCO 2 R 8 , —CONR 8 R 9 , —CSNR 8 R 9 , —COR 8 , —OCOR 8 , —N(R 8 )COR 9 , —N(R 8 )CSR 9 , —SO 2 N(R 8 )(R 9 ), —N(R 8 )SO 2 R 9 , —N(R 8 )CON(R 9 )(R 10 ), —N(R 8 )CSN(R 9 )(R 10 ) or —N(R 8 )SO 2 N(R 9 )(R 10 );

R 8 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group;

R 9 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group;

R 10 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group;

R 11 is a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group;

Alk 2 is a straight or branched alkylene chain;

m is zero or an integer 1;

R 6 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;

R is a carboxylic acid (—CO 2 H) group or a derivative thereof selected from lower alkyl ester derivative, a carboxamide group, or an N-lower alkyl carboxamide group,

R a is a hydrogen or a methyl group;

Ar is an optionally substituted aromatic group; and the salts, hydrates and N-oxides thereof.

2. A compound of formula II:

wherein

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consistin of hydrogen alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, or R 1 and R 2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, are joined to form an optionally substituted heterocyclic ring provided that said substituted alkyl, substituted alkenyl and substituted cycloalkyl do not carry an aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl group;

Alk 2 is a straight or branched alkylene chain;

m is zero or an integer 1;

R 6 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;

R is a carboxylic acid (—CO 2 H) group or a derivative thereof selected from lower alkyl ester derivative, a carboxamide group, or an N-lower alkyl carboxamide group,

R a is a hydrogen or a methyl group;

Ar is an optionally substituted aromatic group; and the salts, hydrates and N-oxides thereof.

3. The compound of any of claims 1 or 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 are both methyl.

4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and an effective amount of a compound according to any of claims 1 , 2 , and 3 .

5. A method for binding VLA-4 in a biological sample which method comprises contacting the biological sample with a compound according to any of claims 1 , 2 , and 3 under conditions wherein said compound binds to VLA-4.

6. A method for treating an inflammatory condition in a mammalian patient which condition is mediated by VLA-4 which method comprises administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition of claim 4 , wherein said inflammatory condition is selected from the group consisting of asthma, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, AIDS dementia, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tissue transplantation, tumor metastasis, meningitis, encephalitis, stroke, nephritis, retinitis, atopic dermatitis, myocardial ischemia and acute leukocyte-mediated lung injury.