Substituted fused [1,2]imidazo[4,5-C] ring compounds and methods

1. A compound of Formula II:

wherein:

R 3 is —O—R 3-1 or R 3-2 ;

R 3-1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—Y—X—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—R 5 ,

—Z-Het,

—Z-HetAr,

—Z-Het′-R 4 ,

—Z-HetAr′-R 4 ,

—Z-Het′-Y—R 4 , and

—Z-HetAr′-Y—R 4 ;

R 3-2 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—Y—X—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—R 5 ,

—Z-Het,

—Z-Het′-R 4 , and

—Z-Het′-Y—R 4 ;

R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, halogen, and trifluoromethyl;

n is 0 or 1;

D is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) 1-4 — and —(CH 2 ) c —O—(CH 2 ) d —; wherein c and d are integers and c+d is 0 to 3;

Z is selected from the group consisting of a bond, alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene, wherein alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene can be optionally interrupted with one or more —O— groups;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

—S(O) 0-2 —,

—S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—,

—C(R 6 )—,

—C(R 6 )—O—,

—O—C(R 6 )—,

—O—C(O)—O—,

—N(R 8 )-Q-,

—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

—O—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

—C(R 6 )—N(OR 9 )—,

—C(═N—O—R 8 )—,

—CH(—N(—O—R 8 )-Q-R 4 )—,

Het is heterocyclyl which can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, cyano, hydroxyalkyleneoxyalkylenyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, and oxo;

HetAr is heteroaryl which can be unsubstituted or can be substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, methylenedioxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, cyano, amino, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;

Het′ is heterocyclylene which can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, cyano, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, and oxo;

HetAr′ is heteroarylene which can be unsubstituted or can be substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, cyano, amino, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;

X is selected from the group consisting of alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, and heterocyclylene wherein the alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene groups can be optionally interrupted or terminated with arylene, heteroarylene, or heterocyclylene, and optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl groups can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, cyano, aryl, aryloxy, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylalkyleneoxy, heterocyclyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, (dialkylamino)alkyleneoxy, and in the case of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and heterocyclyl, oxo;

R 5 is selected from the group consisting of:

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of ═O and ═S;

R 7 is C 2-7 alkylene;

R 8 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, heteroarylalkylenyl, and arylalkylenyl;

R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl;

R 10 is C 3-8 alkylene;

A is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —CH 2 —, —C(O)—, —S(O) 0-2 —, and —N(R 4 )—;

Q is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(R 6 )—, —C(R 6 )—C(R 6 )—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—W—, —S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, —C(R 6 )—O—, and —C(R 6 )—N(OR 9 )—;

V is selected from the group consisting of —C(R 6 )—, —O—C(R 6 )—, —N(R 8 )—C(R 6 )—, and —S(O) 2 —;

W is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(O)—, and —S(O) 2 —; and

a and b are independently integers from 1 to 6 with the proviso that a+b is ≦7;

with the proviso that Z is other than a bond when:

R 3 is —O—R 3-1 , R 3-1 is —Z—Y—R 4 or —Z—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and the Y group bonded to Z is —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —O—C(R 6 )—, —OC(O)—O—, —N(R 8 )-Q-, —O—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

wherein V is

—O—C(R 6 )— or —N(R 8 )—C(R 6 )—; or

R 3 is —O—R 3-1 , R 3-1 is —Z—R 5 , and R 5 is —C≡N,

wherein V is

—O—C(R 6 )— or —N(R 8 )—C(R 6 )—; or

R 3 is —O—R 3-1 , R 3-1 is —Z-Het, —Z-Het′-R 4 , or —Z-Het′-Y—R 4 , and Z is attached to a nitrogen atom in Het or Het; or

R 3 is R 3-2 , R 3-2 is —Z—Y—R 4 , and —Y—R 4 is alkoxy;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein n is 0.

3. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 3 is —O—Z—Y—R 4 , —O—Z—Y—X—Y—R 4 , —Z—Y—R 4 , or —Z—Y—X—Y—R 4 .

4. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein:

Y is selected from the group consisting of —C(R 6 )—, —C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—, —N(R 8 )-Q-, and

wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(O)—, —C(O)—O—, —S(O) 2 —, -and C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—; R 6 is selected from the group consisting of ═O and ═S; R 8 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl, and

C 1-4 alkoxyC 1-4 alkylenyl; and each R 7 is independently selected from C 2-3 alkylene; and

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryl, and heterocyclyl; wherein alkyl is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, and aryl; wherein aryl and arylalkylenyl are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, halogen, cyano, dialkylamino, and alkoxy; and wherein heterocyclyl is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more alkyl substituents.

5. The compound or salt of claim 4 wherein Y is —C(O)— and R 4 is heterocyclyl.

6. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein Z is alkylene, Y is —O—, —C(O)—NH—, —C(O)—O—, —C(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, or —N(R 8 )-Q-, and R 4 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or arylalkylenyl wherein aryl and arylalkylenyl are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, and halogen.

7. The compound or salt claim 1 wherein R 3 is —O—Z—R 5 or —Z—R 5 .

8. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 3 is —O—Z-Het, —O—Z-Het′-R 4 , —Z-Het, or —Z-Het′-R 4 .

9. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein D is —CH 2 —O—, and the ring containing D is

the bonds with * being part of the imidazo ring.

10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

11. A method of inducing cytokine biosynthesis in an animal comprising administering an effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 to the animal.

12. A method of treating a viral disease in an animal in need thereof comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 to the animal.

13. A method of treating a neoplastic disease in an animal in need thereof comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 to the animal.

14. The compound of claim 1 , wherein Formula II is Formula X:

wherein:

R 3a is benzyloxy;

R 3a is at the 7- or 8-position; and

D is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) 1-4 — and —(CH 2 ) c —O—(CH 2 ) d —; wherein c and d are integers and c+d is 0 to 3;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.