Benzamide glucokinase activators

1. A compound according to formula I

wherein

m is 0, 1, or 2;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n+m>0;

Each R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, —(CH 2 ) 1-4 OH, —CH 3-a F a , —(CH 2 ) 1-4 —CH 3-a F a , —OCH 3-a F a , Cl, F, Br, I, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, amino, C 1-4 -alkyl-amino, C 1-4 -dialkykamino, cyano, formyl, phenyl, and 5-10 membered heterocyclyl, wherein the heterocyclyl consists of carbon atoms and 1-4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S(O) t optionally substituted with C 1-6 -alkyl;

Each R 2 is a group Y—X—

wherein each X is independently —O—Z—, O—Z—O—Z—, —C(O)O—Z—, —OC(O)—Z—, —S—Z—, —S(O)—Z—, —S(O) 2 —Z—, —N(R 6 )—Z—, —N(R 6 )S(O) 2 —Z, —S(O) 2 N(R 6 )—Z, —(CH 2 ) 1-4 , —CH═CH—Z, —C═C—Z, —N(R 6 )C(O)—Z, —C(O)N(R 6 )—Z, —C(O)N(R 6 )S(O) 2 —Z, —S(O) 2 —N(R 6 )C(O)—Z, —C(O)—Z, —Z, —C(O)—Z—O—Z, —N(R 6 )—C(O)—Z—O—Z, —O—Z—N(R 6 )—Z, —O—C(O)—Z—O—Z or a direct bond,

wherein X is attached to the phenyl ring by the first-mentioned atom;

Each Z is independently a direct bond, C 2-6 -alkenylene, or —(CH 2 ) p —C(R 10 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) q —;

Each Y is independently aryl-Z 1 —, a 5-10 membered heterocyclyl-Z 1 —,

wherein the heterocyclyl consists of carbon atoms and 1-4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S(O) t ; C 3-7 -cycloalkyl-Z 1 —, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, —(CH 2 ) 1-4 —CH 3-a F a , or —CH(OH)CH 3-a F a , wherein each Y is optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents independently selected from R 4 ;

Z 1 is independently a direct bond, C 2-6 -alkenylene, or —(CH 2 ) p —C(R 10 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) q —;

At each occurrence, p is independently selected from 0, 1, 2, or 3;

At each occurrence, q is independently selected from 0, 1, 2, or 3;

R 4 is independently R 5 —X 1 —, Cl, F, Br, I, CH 3-a F a , —CN, NH 2 , C 1-6 -alkyl, —C(O)OH, —C(O)OR 7 , OH, or phenyl optionally substituted by R 7 ;

or two R 4 attached to adjacent atoms may form a —O—(CH 2 ) 1-2 —O— bridge;

or

R 4 is C(O)NR 26 R 27 , —S(O) 2 NR 26 R 27 , —S(O) 1 R 26 or HET-2;

X 1 is independently defined as X above:

R 5 is H, CH 2 F, CHF 2 , CF 3 , phenyl, naphthyl, a 5-10 membered heterocyclyl consisting of carbon atoms and 1-4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S(O) t , or C 3-7 cycloalkyl, wherein each R 5 is optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from R 25

R 25 is independently Cl, F, Br, I, CH 3-a F a , —CN, OH, NH 2 , C(O)OH, or —C(O)OC 1-6 alkyl;

R 6 is independently hydrogen, C 1-6 -alkyl, or —C 2-4 -alkyl-O—C 1-4 -alkyl;

R 7 is independently C 1-6 -alkyl or —C(O)OC 1-6 -alkyl;

B is

R 8 is S(O) r (CH 2 ) s —R 9 ;

r is 0, 1 or 2;

s is 1, 2, 3, or 4;

R 9 is independently carboxy, or —C(O)O—C 1-6 -alkyl;

R 10 is independently H, Cl, F, Br, I, C 1-6 -alkyl, or —C 2-4 -alkyl-O—C 1-4 alkyl;

R 18 is hydrogen or C 1-6 -alkyl;

R 26 is

hydrogen,

C 1-4 -alkyl optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of

HET-2, —OR 27 , —S(O) 2 R 27 , C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, and —C(O)NR 27 R 27 ,

C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, or HET-2;

R 27 is hydrogen or C 1-4 -alkyl;

or R 26 and R 27 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a heterocyclyl ring as defined in HET-3;

HET-2 is morpholino, furyl, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, 3-oxo-piperazinyl, pyrrolidinyl, 2-pyrrolidonyl, tetrahydropyranyl, 1,1-dioxotetrahydrothienyl, or 2-oxo-imidazolidinyl, each of which is optionally substituted with on or two substituents independently selected from R 29 ;

HET-3 is a 4-, 5-, or 6-membered N-linked saturated or partially unsaturated heterocyclyl ring optionally containing 1 or 2 further heteroatoms (in addition to the linking nitrogen atom) independently selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S, wherein a —CH 2 — group can optionally be replaced by a —C(O)— group, and wherein a sulphur atom in the ring may optionally be oxidized to an S(O) or S(O) 2 group, which ring is optionally substituted on an available carbon or nitrogen atom by one or two substituents independently selected from R 29 ; or

HET-3 is an N-linked, 7-membered saturated or partially unsaturated heterocyclyl ring optionally containing one further heteroatom (in addition to the linking nitrogen atom) independently selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S, wherein a —CH 2 — group can optionally be replaced by a —C(O)—, and wherein a sulphur atom in the heterocyclic ring may optionally be oxidized to an S(O) or S(O) 2 group, which ring is optionally substituted on an available carbon or nitrogen atom by one or two substituents independently selected from R 29 ; or

HET-3 is a 6-10 membered bicyclic saturated or partially unsaturated heterocyclyl ring optionally containing one further nitrogen atom (in addition to the linking nitrogen atom), wherein a —CH 2 — group can optionally be replaced by a —C(O)—, which ring is optionally substituted on an available carbon or nitrogen atom by one substituent independently selected from R 30 ;

R 29 is independently —OR 27 , C 1-4 -alkyl, —C(O)—C 1-4 -alkyl, —C(O)NR 26 R 27 , C 1-4 -alkylamino, di(C 1-4 -alkyl)amino, HET-3 (wherein said ring is unsubstituted), C 1-4 -alkoxyC 1-4 -alkyl, hydroxyC 1-4 -alkyl, armor S(O) t R 26 ;

R 30 is independently hydroxy, halo, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, methyl, methoxy or cyano;

t is independently 0, 1, or 2;

a is independently 1, 2, or 3;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is independently —CH 2 F, —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , Cl, F, or C 1-6 -alkyl.

3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X is independently —O—Z— or —O—Z—O—Z—.

4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein Z is a direct bond or —(CH 2 ) p —C(R 10 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) q —.

5. A compound according to claim 1 wherein Y is phenyl-Z 1 —, naphthyl-Z 1 —, a 5-10 membered heterocyclyl-Z 1 —, wherein the heterocyclyl consists of carbon atoms and 1-4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S(O) t , or C 3-7 cycloalkyl-Z 1 —, wherein each Y is optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents independently selected from R 4 .

6. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 4 is independently R 5 —X 1 —, Cl, F, C 1-6 -alkyl or —OC 1-6 -alkyl.

7. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 1 is O.

8. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 5 is C 1-6 alkyl, CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 , and each R 5 is optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from R 25 .

9. A compound according to claim 1 wherein two R 4 attached to adjacent atoms form a —O—(CH 2 ) 1 —O— bridge.

10. A compound according to claim 1 wherein two R 4 attached to adjacent atoms form a —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O— bridge.

11. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 4 is —C(O)NR 26 R 27 , —S(O) 2 NR 26 R 27 or HET-2.

12. A compound according to claim 1 wherein HET-3 is morpholino, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, pyrrolidinyl, or azetidinyl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from R 29 .

13. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 30 is independently halo, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, methyl, or methoxy.

14. A compound according to claim 1 wherein B is

15. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 8 is —S(O) 2 (CH 2 ) 1-2 —R 9 .

16. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 8 is —S(CH 2 ) 1-2 —R 9 .

17. A compound according to formula I

wherein

m is 0, 1, or 2;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n+m>0;

Each R 1 is independently —CH 2 F, —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , Cl, F, or C 1-6 -alkyl;

Each R 2 is a group Y—X—

wherein each X is independently —O—Z—, or —O—Z—O—Z—, wherein Z is a direct bond wherein X is attached to the phenyl ring by the first-mentioned atom;

Each Y is independently aryl-Z 1 —, a 5-10 membered heterocyclyl-Z 1 —, wherein the heterocyclyl consists of carbon atoms and 1-4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S(O) t ; C 3-7 -cycloalkyl-Z 1 —, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, —(CH 2 ) 1-4 —CH 3-a F a , or —CH(OH)CH 3-a F a , wherein each Y is optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents independently selected from R 4 ;

Z 1 is —(CH 2 ) p —C(R 10 ) 2 —(CH 2 ) q —;

At each occurrence, p is independently selected from 0, 1, 2, or 3;

At each occurrence, q is independently selected from 0, 1, 2, or 3;

R 4 is independently R 5 —X 1 —, Cl, F, Br, I, CH 3-a F a , —CN, NH 2 , C 1-6 -alkyl, —O—C 1-6 alkyl, —C(O)OH, —C(O)OR 7 , OH, or phenyl optionally substituted by R 7 ;

or two R 4 attached to adjacent atoms may form a —O—(CH 2 ) 1-2 —O— bridge;

or

R 4 is R 5 —X 1 —, Cl, F, C 1-6 -alkyl, or —OC 1-6 -alkyl;

X 1 is independently defined as X above;

R 5 is C 1-6 alkyl, CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 ;

R 7 is independently C 1-6 -alkyl or —C(O)OC 1-6 -alkyl;

B is

R 8 is —S(O) r (CH 2 ) s —R 9 ;

r is 0, 1 or 2;

s is 1, 2, 3, or 4;

R 9 is independently carboxy, or —C(O)O—C 1-6 -alkyl;

R 10 is independently H, Cl, F, Br, I, C 1-6 -alkyl, or —C 2-4 -alkyl-O—C 1-4 alkyl;

R 18 is hydrogen or C 1-6 -alkyl;

t is independently 0, 1, or 2;

a is independently 1, 2, or 3;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.