Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for use in treating metabolic disorders

1. A compound having the formula (I):

Q—L 1 —P—L 2 —M—X—L 3 —A  I

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

Q is a phenyl;

L 1 is a bond;

P is a phenyl;

L 2 is a bond, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylene, (C 2 -C 6 )heteroalkylene, oxymethylene, O, S(O) m , N(R 1 ), C(O)N(R 2 ), SO 2 N(R 2 ), (C 1 -C 4 )alkylene-C(O)N(R 2 ), (C 1 -C 4 )alkylene-N(R 2 )C(O), (C 2 -C 4 )alkenylene-C(O)N(R 2 ), (C 2 -C 4 )alkenylene-N(R 2 )C(O), (C 1 -C 4 )alkylene-SO 2 N(R 2 ), (C 1 -C 4 )alkylene-N(R 2 )SO 2 , (C 2 -C 4 )alkenylene-SO 2 N(R 2 ) or (C 2 -C 4 )alkenylene-N(R 2 )SO 2 ;

M is a phenyl;

X is CR 3 R 4 ;

L 3 is a (C 1 -C 5 )alkylene;

A is —CO 2 H or a methyl or ethyl ester thereof;

R 1 is (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl(C 1 -C 3 ) alkyl or (C 2 -C 6 )heteroalkyl;

R 2 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl or (C 2 -C 6 )heteroalkyl;

R 3 is cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, NR 8 R 9 , —C(O)NR 10 R 11 , —NR 12 C(O)R 13 or —NR 12 S(O) p R 13 ;

R 4 is hydrogen, cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl or (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl;

R 8 and R 9 are independently hydrogen, (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl, oxy(C 1 -C 5 )alkyl or carboxy(C 1 -C 5 )alkyl;

optionally, R 8 and R 9 are combined to form a 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring containing the nitrogen atom to which they are attached and from 0 to 2 additional heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;

R 10 , R 11 and R 12 are independently selected from hydrogen, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )heteroalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl and (C 3 -C 8 )heterocycloalkyl;

optionally, R 10 and R 11 are combined to form a 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring containing the nitrogen atom to which they are attached and from 0 to 2 additional heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;

R 13 is aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )heteroalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl or (C 3 -C 8 )heterocycloalkyl;

the subscript m is 0, 1 or 2; and

the subscript p is 1 or 2;

wherein the phenyl, aryl, and heteroaryl groups set forth above are optionally substituted with substituents selected from -halogen, —OR′, —OC(O)R′, —NR′R″, —SR′, —R′, —CN, —NO 2 , —CO 2 R′, —CONR′R″, —C(O)R′, —OC(O)NR′R″, —NR″C(O)R′, —NR″C(O) 2 R′, —NR′—C(O)NR″R′″, —NH—C(NH 2 )═NH, —NR′C(NH 2 )═NH, —NH—C(NH 2 )═NR′, —S(O)R′, —S(O) 2 R′, —S(O) 2 NR′R″, —N 3 , —CH(Ph) 2 , perfluoro(C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy, and perfluoro(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, in a number ranging from zero to the total number of open valences on the phenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl ring system; and further wherein R′, R″ and R′″ are independently selected from hydrogen, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl and heteroalkyl, unsubstituted aryl and heteroaryl, (unsubstituted aryl)-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, and (unsubstituted aryl)oxy-(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl.

2. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein at least two of L 2 , X and L 3 are other than CH 2 .

3. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl or —NR 8 R 9 .

4. The compound of claim 3 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 4 is hydrogen.

5. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 3 is methylene.

6. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 4 is hydrogen.

7. The compound of claim 6 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 2 is (C 2 -C 6 )heteroalkylene.

8. The compound of claim 1 , wherein X is para to L 2 .

9. The compound of claim 8 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 3 is methylene.

10. The compound of claim 9 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl or —NR 8 R 9 .

11. The compound of claim 10 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 2 is oxymethylene or thiomethylene.

12. The compound of claim 11 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 4 is hydrogen.

13. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 2 is oxymethylene or thiomethylene.

14. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient and the compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

15. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X is para to L 2 , L 3 is methylene, R 3 is cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl or —NR 8 R 9 , L 2 is oxymethylene or thiomethylene, and R 4 is hydrogen.

16. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is the pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

17. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a cyano.

18. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is an aryl.

19. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a heteroaryl.

20. The compound of claim 19 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a heteroaryl selected from optionally substituted pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazinyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, furyl, thienyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl, benzothiazolyl, purinyl, benzimidazolyl, indolyl, isoquinolyl, quinoxalinyl, or quinolyl.

21. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl.

22. The compound of claim 15 , or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein R 3 is a (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl.

23. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl.

24. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 a —NR 8 R 9 .

25. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient and the compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

26. The compound of claim 1 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L 3 is methylene, R 3 is cyano, aryl, heteroaryl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl or —NR 8 R 9 , L 2 is oxymethylene or thiomethylene, and R 4 is hydrogen.

27. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is the pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

28. The compound of claim 15 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof is the ester.

29. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a cyano.

30. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is an aryl.

31. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a heteroaryl.

32. The compound of claim 31 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a heteroaryl selected from optionally substituted pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazinyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, thiazolyl, furyl, thienyl, pyridyl, pyrimidyl, benzothiazolyl, purinyl, benzimidazolyl, indolyl, isoquinolyl, quinoxalinyl, or quinolyl.

33. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl.

34. The compound of claim 26 , or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein R 3 is a (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl.

35. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl.

36. The compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 is a —NR 8 R 9 .

37. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient and the compound of claim 26 or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.