Hydroxyalkyl substituted imidazoquinoline compounds and methods

1. A compound of Formula I:

wherein:

n is 1 or 2;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—R 4 , and

—X—R 5 ;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—Ar,

—Z—Ar′—Y—R 4 , and

—Z—Ar′—X—Y—R 4 ;

Ar is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl both of 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, mercapto, cyano, carboxy, formyl, amino, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;

Ar′ is selected from the group consisting of arylene and heteroarylene both of 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, mercapto, cyano, carboxy, formyl, amino, alkylamino, and dialkylamino;

X is alkylene optionally interrupted by one —O— group;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

—O—,

—C(R 6 )—,

—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

—S(O) 0-2 —,

—N(R 8 )-Q-,

Z is selected from the group consisting of a bond and alkylene;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, and heterocyclyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, 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, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heterocyclyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, and, in the case of alkyl, alkenyl, 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)—, —CH 2 —, —S(O) 0-2 —, and —N(Q-R 4 )—;

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

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

3. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aminoalkyl, dihydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl.

4. The compound or salt 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 C 1-4 alkyl, hydroxy, and oxo.

5. The compound or salt 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 )—, 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.

6. The compound or salt 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.

7. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein Z is a bond.

8. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 3 is phenyl, pyridin-2-yl, pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-4-yl, or quinolin-3-yl any of which may be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, and hydroxyalkyl.

9. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 3 is thien-3-yl, phenyl, pyridin-2-yl, pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-4-yl, or quinolin-3-yl any of which may be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, cyano, hydroxy, and hydroxyalkyl.

10. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 3 is -Ar′—Y—R 4 wherein Ar′ is phenylene, Y is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, —C(O)—N(R 8 )—, —N(R 8 )—C(O)—, —N(R 8 )—S(O) 2 —, and —N(R 8 )—C(O)—N(R 8 )— wherein R 8 is selected from hydrogen and methyl; and R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 alkyl, morpholin-4-yl, phenyl, and phenyl substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, and hydroxyalkyl.

11. The compound of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxymethyl-1-(2-methylpropyl)-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine, 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-(2-methylpropyl)-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine, 1-(4-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl)-2-methylpropan-2-ol, and 1-[4-amino-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]-2-methylpropan-2-ol, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

12. The compound of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of N-[4-(4-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl)butyl]methanesulfonamide and N-{4-[4-amino-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-7-phenyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]butyl]}methanesulfonamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

13. The compound of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxymethyl-1-(2-methylpropyl)-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine, 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-(2-methylpropyl)-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine, 1-[4-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]-2-methylpropan-2-ol, and 1-[4-amino-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]-2-methylpropan-2-ol, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

14. The compound of claim 1 selected from the group consisting of N-{4-[4-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]butyl]}methanesulfonamide and N-{4-[4-amino-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-7-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-1-yl]butyl]}methanesulfonamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

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

16. A method of preferentially inducing the biosynthesis of IFN-α in an animal comprising administering an effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 to the animal.

17. 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.

18. 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.