Substituted imidazoles

1. A method of treating a parasite infestation in a mammal comprising treating the host animal with an effective amount of a compound of formula (I)

wherein:

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halo, hydroxy, C 1-4 alkyl optionally substituted by one or more hydroxy groups, or C 3-6 cycloalkyl which is further optionally substituted by one or more C 1-4 alkyl or halo groups, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, phenyl, amino, NR x R y , or S(O) n R 10 ;

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —C 0-2 alkyleneR 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneOR 7 , —C 0-2 alkyleneC(O)R 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneOC(O)R 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneOC(O)OR 7 , —C 0-2 alkyleneC(O)OR 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneN(H)C(O)R 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneN(R 7 )C(O)R 7 , —C 0-2 alkyleneC(O)NHR 7 , —C 0-2 alkyleneC(O)NR 15 R 16 , —C 1-2 alkyleneNHC(O)NR 15 R 16 , —C 1-2 alkyleneNR 7 C(O)NR 15 R 16 , —C 1-2 alkyleneOC(O)NHR 7 , —C 1-2 alkyleneOC(O)NR 15 R 16 , —C 0-2 alkyleneCH═N(R 7 ), —C 1-2 alkyleneP(═O)(NR 15 R 16 )(NR 15 R 16 ), —C 0-2 alkyleneSi(R 7 ) 3 , and —C 0-2 alkyleneS(O)R 10 ;

where the C 0-2 alkylene or C 1-2 alkylene of R 6 may, where chemically possible, optionally be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 alkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkylene(C 3-6 cycloalkyl), C 0-6 alkylenephenyl, which C 0- 2 alkylene or C 1-2 alkylene substituent may in turn be optionally further substituted, where chemically possible, by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halo, formyl, oxo, hydroxy, C(O)OH, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkyleneC 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 alkyleneC 1-4 alkyoxy, —C(O)OC 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, amino, C 1-4 alkylamino, C 1-4 dialkylamino, and S(O) n R 10 ;

where each R 7 , R 15 and R 16 , where chemically possible, is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1-8 alkyl, C 2-6 alkenyl, C 2-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkylene(C 3-6 cycloalkyl), C 1-4 alkyleneC 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 0-6 alkylenephenyl, C 0-6 alkylenenaphthyl, C 0-6 alkylene(tetrahydronaphthyl), and C 0-2 alkylene(Het), where Het is selected from oxetanyl, tetrahydropyranyl, piperidinyl, morpholinyl, furyl, pyridyl, benzofuranyl, benzothiazolyl, indolyl, 2,3-benzodioxolyl, 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxinyl, indolyl and 1,5-naphthyridinyl;

or R 15 and R 16 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached may form a three to seven-membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring optionally containing one or more further N, O or S atoms or SO 2 groups;

where each of the above R 7 , R 15 or R 16 groups may independently include one or more optional substituents where chemically possible selected from hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halo, formyl, oxo, hydroxy, C(O)OH, C 1-4 alkyl, C 2-4 alkenyl, C 2-4 alkynyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkyleneC 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 alkyleneC 1-4 alkyoxy, C 1-4 alkoxyC 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 alkanoyl, —C(O)OC 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 3-6 halocycloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkanoyl, —C(O)OC 1-4 haloalkyl, phenyl, 4-halophenyl, 4-alkoxyphenyl, 2-cyanophenyl, phenoxy, 4-halophenoxy, benzyloxy, 4-halobenzyloxy, benzoyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, 2-halo-4-pyrimidinyl, 2-phenylethyl, amino, C 1-4 alkylamino, C 1-4 dialkylamino, C(O)N(C 1-4 alkyl) 2 , N(C 1-4 alkylene)C(O)(C 1-4 alkyl) and S(O) n R 10 ;

R 8 and R 9 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkoxy and C 0-4 alkylenephenyl but with the proviso that R 8 and R 9 are not both hydrogen;

where each of R 8 and R 9 may independently include one or more optional substituents where chemically possible selected from hydrogen, cyano, halo, hydroxy, C 1-4 alkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, —C(O)OC 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, and S(O) n R 10 ;

or R 8 and R 9 together with the carbon to which they are attached may form a three to six membered carbocyclic, saturated ring, which ring is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-2 alkyl, C 1-2 alkoxy, C 1-2 haloalkyl, C 1-2 haloalkoxy;

R 11 and R 12 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, cyano, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkyl, and C 1-4 haloalkoxy;

where R x and R y are independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, and S(O) n R 10 ;

each n is independently 0, 1 or 2;

and each R 10 is independently hydrogen, hydroxy, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, 4-halophenyl, amino, C 1-6 alkyl amino and di C 1-6 alkyl amino; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein in the compound of formula (I) R 1 and R 2 are methyl; and R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 are hydrogen.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein in the compound of formula (I) R 6 is hydrogen, —C 0-2 alkyleneR 7 , or —C 1-2 alkyleneOC(O)R 7 .

4. A method of claim 3 wherein in the compound of formula (I) R 6 is hydrogen, 2,2-dimethylpropionyloxymethyl, propionyloxymethyl, 3-cyclopentylpropionyloxy- methyl, 3-methylbutyryloxymethyl, heptanoyloxymethyl, butyryloxymethyl, pentanoyloxymethyl, phenylmethyl, 4-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyloxymethyl, cyclopropylmethyl, methyl, cyclopropylmethyloxycarbonyloxymethyl, 3-methylbutoxycarbonyloxymethyl, isopropoxycarbonyloxymethyl, cyclobutoxycarbonyloxymethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyloxycarbonyloxymethyl, ethyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, methoxymethyl, 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl, isobutoxycarbonyl, or isopropoxycarbonyl.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein in the compound of formula (I) R 8 is methyl and R 9 is hydrogen.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein in the compound of formula (I) R 11 and R 12 are hydrogen.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (I) is selected from a compound of formula (IA) and formula (IB)

wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 11 and R 12 are hydrogen.

8. A method of claim 7 wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 6 are methyl; and R 9 is hydrogen.

9. A method of claim 8 wherein the compound of formula (I) is

10. A method of claim 8 wherein the compound of formula (I) is

11. A method of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (I) is selected from:

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

2-[(1S)-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

2-[(1R)-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethy]-1H-imidazol1-yl}methylpivalate;

{2-[(1S)-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1 -yl}methylpivalate;

{2-[(1R)-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylpivalate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol- 1-yl}methylpropionate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl3-methylbutanoate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylbutyrate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl 3-cyclopentylpropanoate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylheptanoate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylpentanoate;

2-{1-[2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethyl}-1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

1-benzyl-2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl4-methoxybenzylcarbonate;

1-(cyclopropymethyl)-2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

2-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1-methyl-1H-imidazole;

cyclopropylmethyl {2-1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylcarbonate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl 3-methylbutylcarbonate;

{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methylcarbonate;

cyclobutyl{2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl carbonate;

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazol-1-yl}methyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethylcarbonate;

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1-ethyl-1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1-(methoxymethyl)- 1H-imidazole;

2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1-1[4-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-1H-imidazole;

4-fluorophenyl 2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylate;

isobutyl 2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylate;

isopropyl 2-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylate; an

2-[1-(3-methylphenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the mammal is an animal, a bird or a fish.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the mammal is an animal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the animal is cats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, equines, or swine.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the parasite is an insect or acarid.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the parasite are ticks.

17. The method of treating a parasite infestation of claim 1 is a method of controlling an insect or acarid infestation at a locus.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising applying an effective amount of a compound of formula (I) to said locus.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (I) is administered orally, parenterally, or topically.