Arylsulfonamides and uses related thereto

1. A compound having the formula:

or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, or stereoisomers thereof,

wherein:

R 1 is a member selected from the group consisting of —OH and (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl;

R 2 and R 3 are members independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl and (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl;

N cyc is a nitrogen heterocycle having formula (b)

wherein:

R 2b , R 2b′ and R 6b are each members independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, —CN, —NO 2 , (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl, (C 5 -C 4 )heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, aryl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heterocyclyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heteroaryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —C(O)R′, —C(O)OR′, —NR′C(O)OR″, —OR′, —OC(O)R′, —C(O)N(R′) 2 , —S(O)R″, —SO 2 R″, —SO 2 N(R′) 2 , —N(R′) 2 , and —NR′C(O)R′; and optionally R 2b and R 2b′ are combined to form an oxo (═O) or thiono (═S) group when at least one of R 34 , R 4b and R 5b is other than H;

R 3b , R 4b and R 5b are each members independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, —CN, —NO 2 , (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl, (C 5 -C 14 )heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, aryl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heterocyclyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heteroaryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —C(O)R′, —C(O)OR′, —NR′C(O)OR″, —OR′, —SR′, —OC(O)R′, —C(O)N(R′) 2 , —S(O)R″, —SO 2 R″, —SO 2 N(R′) 2 , —N(R′) 2 , and —NR′C(O)R′; and optionally two adjacent R 3b , R 4b , R 5b and R 6b members are combined to form a benzene or pyridine ring, fused to the remainder of N cyc ; and within formula (b), at least one of R 2b , R 2b′ , R 3b , R 4b , R 5b and R 6b is other than H;

any fused benzene or pyridine ring portion of N cyc is optionally substituted with from one to four members selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, —CN, —NO 2 , (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 8 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl, (C 5 -C 14 )heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, aryl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heterocyclyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heteroaryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —C(O)R′, —C(O)OR′, —NR′C(O)OR″, —OR′, —SR′, —OC(O)R′, —C(O)N(R′) 2 , —S(O)R″, —SO 2 R″, —SO 2 N(R′) 2 , —N(R′) 2 and —NR′C(O)R′;

each occurrence of R′ is independently H, (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl, (C 5 -C 14 )heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, aryl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heterocyclyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heteroaryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, or two R′ groups, when attached to the same nitrogen atom, can be combined with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached to form a heterocycle or heteroaryl group;

each occurrence of R″ is independently (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 8 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl, (C 5 -C 14 )heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, aryl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heterocyclyl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, heteroaryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl or aryl(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl.

2. A compound of claim 1 , wherein at least one of R 2b , R 2b′ and R 6b is (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl or (C 2 -C 8 )hydroxyalkyl.

3. A compound of claim 1 , wherein each of R 3b , R 4b and R 5b is H, and R 6b is selected from the group consisting of heteroaryl and heteroaryl(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl.

4. A compound of claim 1 , wherein at least one of R 3b , R 4b and R 5b is halogen.

5. A compound of claim 1 , wherein R 4b and R 5b or R 5b and R 6b are combined to form a fused benzene or pyridine ring.

6. A compound of claim 1 , wherein one of R 3b , R 4b , R 5b or R 6b is heterocyclyl.

7. A compound of claim 1 , wherein R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl and (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkyl; and R 1 is selected from the group consisting of —OH and (C 1 -C 4 )haloaklyl.

8. A compound of claim 7 , wherein R 1 is —OH, R 2 is —CH 3 and R 3 is CF 3 .

9. A compound of claim 7 , wherein R 1 is —OH, and R 2 and R 3 are each CF 3 .

10. A compound of claim 1 , wherein N cyc is a group of formula (c).

11. A compound of claim 10 , wherein at least one of R 2c , R 2c′ and R 6c is (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl.

12. A compound of claim 10 , wherein X is O.

13. A compound of claim 10 , wherein X is S(O) k .

14. A compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of —OH, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl and (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkyl.

15. A compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 is —OH, R 2 is —CH 3 and R 3 is CF 3 .

16. A compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 is —OH, and R 2 and R 3 are each CF 3 .

17. A compound of claim 10 , wherein each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are CH 3 .

18. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound of claim 1 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

19. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound of claim 1 , and an additional therapeutic agent.

20. A pharmaceutical composition of claim 19 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is useful for treating a condition or disorder selected from the group consisting of diabetes, syndrome X, obesity, polycystic ovarian disease, an eating disorder, craniopharyngioma, Prader-Willi syndrome, Frohlich's syndrome, hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL levels, high HDL levels, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, Cushing's syndrome, hypertension, atherosclerosis, vascular restenosis, retinopathy, nephropathy, neurodegenerative disease, neuropathy, muscle wasting, cognitive disorders, dementia, depression, psoriasis, glaucoma, osteoporosis, a viral infection, an inflammatory disorder and an immune disorder.

21. A compound selected from the group consisting of:

syn-2,6-dimethyl-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl-sulfonyl)-piperidine,

2-(R)-2-methyl-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl-sulfonyl)-piperidine,

2-(S)-2-methyl-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenyl-sulfonyl)-piperidine,

2-ethyl-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine,

1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine,

2-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline,

2-(S)-2-(pyridin-3-yl)-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine,

1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline,

3-fluoro-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine,

1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)phenylsulfonyl)-2-(2-imidazol-1-yl-ethyl)piperidine,

2-(2-pyrazol-1-yl-ethyl)-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine, and

2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-(4-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-phenylsulfonyl)-piperidine.