Method of preferentially inducing the biosynthesis of interferon

1. A method of preferentially inducing the biosynthesis of IFN-α over TNF-α in an animal comprising administering an effective amount of a compound of Formula I:

wherein:

n is 1 or 2;

R A and R B are each independently selected from the group consisting of:

hydrogen,

halogen,

alkyl,

alkenyl,

alkoxy,

alkylthio and

—N(R 9 ) 2 ;

or when taken together, R A and R B form a fused aryl ring or heteroaryl ring containing one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N and S wherein the aryl or heteroaryl ring is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more R groups, or substituted by one R 3 group, or substituted by one R 3 group and one R group;

or when taken together, R A and R B form a fused 5 to 7 membered saturated ring, optionally containing one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N and S, and unsubstituted or substituted at a carbon atom by one or more R groups;

R is selected from the group consisting of:

halogen,

hydroxy,

alkyl,

alkenyl,

haloalkyl,

alkoxy,

alkylthio, and

—N(R 9 ) 2 ;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—R 4 ,

—X—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and

—X—R 5 ;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—R 4 ,

—Z—X—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and

—Z—X—R 5 ;

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 by arylene, heteroarylene or heterocyclylene and optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

Z is a bond or —O—;

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, arylalkylenyl, and heteroarylalkylenyl;

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—, —C(O)—, —CH 2 —, —S(O) 0-2 —, and —N(Q-R 4 )—;

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

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—, —C(R 6 )—S—, 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;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the animal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein n is 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein n is 2.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein R A and R B form a fused benzene ring which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more R groups, or substituted by one R 3 group, or substituted by one R 3 group and one R group.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein R A and R B form a fused pyridine ring which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more R groups, or substituted by one R 3 group, or substituted by one R 3 group and one R group.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein R A and R B form a fused 5 to 7 membered saturated ring, optionally containing one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N and S, wherein the ring is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more R groups.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—R 4 ,

—X—Y—X 1 —Y 1 —R 4 , and

—X—R 5 ; wherein

X is alkylene that is optionally interrupted or terminated by heterocyclylene and optionally interrupted by one —O— group;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

X 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkylene and arylene;

Y 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—S—,

—C(O)—,

—C(O)—O—,

—C(O)—N(R 8 )—,

—S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, and

—N(R 8 )—C(O)—;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, alkynyl, arylalkylenyl, and arylalkenylenyl, wherein the alkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, and heteroarylalkylenyl groups can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, cyano, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, amino, dialkylamino, and in the case of alkyl 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, arylalkylenyl, and heteroarylalkylenyl;

R 10 is C 3-8 alkylene;

A is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —C(O)—, and —N(R 4 )—;

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

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

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

8. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-5 alkyl, C 2-5 alkynyl, arylC 1-4 alkylenyl, cycloalkylC 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkyl-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl, aryl-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkyl-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl-O—C 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkyl-S(O) 2 —NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, hydroxyC 1-4 alkylenyl, dihydroxyC 1-4 -alkylenyl, haloC 1-4 alkylenyl, aminoC 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkyl-C(O)—O—C 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-6 alkyl-C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, aryl-C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl wherein aryl is unsubstituted or substituted with one or two halogen groups, heteroaryl-C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, di(C 1-4 alkyl)amino-S(O) 2 —NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, aryl-S(O) 2 —NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, aryl-NH—C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, heteroaryl-NH—C(S)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, di(C 1-4 alkyl)amino-C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkylamino-C(O)—NH—C 1-4 alkylenyl, di(C 1-4 alkyl)amino-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl, C 1-4 alkylamino-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl, amino-S(O) 2 —C 1-4 alkylenyl, heteroarylC 1-4 alkylenyl wherein heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, and alkyl, and heterocyclylC 1-4 alkylenyl wherein heterocyclyl is unsubstituted or substituted by one, two, or three substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and oxo.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aminoalkyl, dihydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is heterocyclylalkylenyl wherein heterocyclyl is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, hydroxy, and oxo.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—Y—R 4 wherein X is C 1-6 alkylene which may be interrupted by one —O— group; Y is selected from the group consisting of —N(R 8 )—C(O)—, —N(R 8 )—S(O) 2 —, —N(R 8 )—C(O)—N(R 8 )—, and —S(O) 2 wherein R 8 is selected from hydrogen and methyl; and R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 alkyl, isoquinolinyl, N-methylimidazolyl, pyridinyl, quinolinyl, phenyl, and phenyl substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of chloro, cyano, fluoro, hydroxy, and methyl.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—Y—R 4 wherein X is C 1-6 alkylene which may be interrupted by an —O— group; Y is selected from the group consisting of —N(R 8 )—C(O)—, —N(R 8 )—S(O) 2 —, —N(R 8 )—C(O)—N(R 8 )—, —N(R 8 )—S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, —S(O) 2 —, and

wherein Q is —C(O)—, —C(O)—NH—, or —S(O) 2 —, R 10 is pentylene, R 8 is hydrogen or methyl; and R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 alkyl, hydroxyC 1-6 alkyl, isoquinolinyl, N-methylimidazolyl, pyridinyl, quinolinyl, benzyl, 1-phenylethyl, phenyl, and phenyl substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of chloro, cyano, fluoro, hydroxy, and methyl.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—R 5 wherein X is C 1-6 alkylene, and R 5 is

14. The method of claim 1 wherein R 3 is selected from the group consisting of aryl, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, and heteroarylalkyleneoxy, wherein aryl, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, and heteroarylalkyleneoxy, are unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, and hydroxyalkyl.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein R 3 nor R is present.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound or salt is administered systemically.