Farnesyltransferase inhibitors

1. A compound of formula (I)

or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

E is pyridinyl;

F and G are independently selected from the group consisting of C and N;

with the proviso that when one of F and G is N, the other is C;

L 1 is O;

L 2 is selected from the group consisting of a bond, C 2 alkenylene, C 2 alkynylene, O, NR 9 , C(O), S, S(O), SO 2 , SO 2 NR 9 , NR 9 SO 2 , C(O)NR 9 , NR 9 C(O), and CO 2 ;

X is NR 7 ;

R 1 is phenyl optionally substituted by hydrogen, halo or cyano;

R 2 is selected the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aminoalkyl, cyanoalkyl, halo, haloalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl;

R 3 is phenyl optionally substituted by a halo;

R 4-6 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkanoyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkynyl, amido, amino, aminoalkyl, aminosulfonyl, azido, carboxy, cyano, cyanoalkyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, nitroalkyl, oxo, and thio(oxo);

R 7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl;

R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxyalkyl, alkyl, amidoalkyl, aminoalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, and cycloalkylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl;

each R 12 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxy, alkyl, amino, halo, and hydroxy;

m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

p is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and

q is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4.

2. A compound according to claim 1 of formula (II)

or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

E, F, G, L 1 , L 2 , X, R 2 , R 3 , R 4-6 , R 12 , and p are as defined in claim 1 and

R 18 , R 19 , and R 20 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, cyano, and halo.

3. A compound according to claim 2 wherein

L 2 is selected from the group consisting of a bond, NR 9 SO 2 , and C(O)NR 9 ;

wherein each group is drawn with its left end attached to F and its right end attached to R 3 ;

R 2 is hydrogen;

R 12 is hydrogen; and

p is 0 or 1.

4. A compound according to claim 3 wherein

R 18 is cyano; and

R 19 R 20 are hydrogen.

5. A compound according to claim 4 selected from the group consisting of

4-(((6-chloro-2-(3-chlorophenyl)-3-pyridinyl)methoxy)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl)benzonitrile;

4-(((2-(3-chlorophenyl)-6-methyl-3-pyridinyl)methoxy)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl)benzonitrile;

4-(((4-(3-chlorophenyl)-6-fluoro-3-pyridinyl)methoxy)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl)benzonitrile;

4-(((4-(3-chlorophenyl)-6-methoxy-3-pyridinyl)methoxy)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl)benzonitrile;

4-(3-chlorophenyl)-5-(((4-cyanophenyl)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methoxy)methyl)-2-pyridinecarbonitrile; and

5-(((4-cyanophenyl)(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methoxy)methyl)-6-(3,5-difluorophenyl)pyridine-2-carbonitrile.