N-[2-amino-4-(phenylmethoxy)phenyl] amides and related compounds as potassium channel modulators

1. A compound of formula A

where Ar is phenyl U=—C(R m )═; R a and R′ a are, independently, H, F, Cl, methyl, methoxy, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, or trifluoromethyl; R m is H, F, Cl, methyl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl or methoxy; R′ m is F, Cl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl or methoxy; R N is H or

C 1 -C 4 alkyl, which may be straight-chain, branched, or cyclic; and R O is H, isopropyl, sec-butyl, or straight-chain C 1 -C 8 alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl, any of which may be substituted by methyl, fluoro, chloro methoxy, phenyl, or benzoyloxy, where the methyl, methoxy, phenyl, and benzyl groups are optionally substituted with one or two fluorine atoms or one or two chlorine atoms.

2. The compound of claim 1 , where R a is CF 3 , F, or Cl and R′ a is H or F.

3. The compound of claim 2 , where R′ m is F and R N is H or methyl.

4. The compound of claim 3 , where R O is C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkenyl, or CH 3 O—(CH 2 ) n CH 2 —, where n is 0, 1, 2, or 3.

5. The compound of claim 1 , where R O is selected from the group methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl sec-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, 2-chloroethyl, 3-chloropropyl, 4-chlorobutyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 3-fluoropropyl, 4-fluorobutyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethyl, methoxyethyl, benzyloxyethyl, benzyl, o-chlorobenzyl, o-, o′-dichlorobenzyl o-fluorobenzyl, and o-, o′-difluorobenzyl.

6. A composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and one or more of the following: a compound of claim 1 ; a salt or ester thereof.