Haloalkylsulfone substituted compounds useful for treating obesity and diabetes

1. A compound according to formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

wherein

m is 0, 1, or 2;

X, when present, is

R 1 is heteroaryl which may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 -alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy and C 1-6 -haloalkyl;

R 2 is hydrogen, halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl or C 1-6 alkoxy;

R 4 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl or C 1-6 alkoxy;

R 8 and R 9 independently are hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl or C 1-6 alkoxy;

or, when m is 0, R 2 and R 3 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, or R 3 and R 4 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, form a 9-11-membered bicyclic ring system which may be fully conjugated or partly saturated, and which may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 -alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy and C 1-6 -haloalkyl;

at least one substituent among R 5 , R 6 and R 7 is —SR 12 , —S(O)R 12 or —S(O) 2 R 12 , and the remaining substituents among R 5 , R 6 and R 7 independently are hydrogen, nitro, cyano, halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, —OR 10 , —NR 10 R 11 , —C(O)OR 10 , —COR 10 , —C(O)NR 10 R 11 , —SH, —S(O) 2 OR 10 , —S(O) 2 NR 10 R 11 , —SR 11 , —S(O)R 11 , —S(O) 2 R 11 , aryl or heteroaryl; wherein said aryl or heteroaryl groups may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of C 1-6 alkyl, halogen, hydroxy and phenyl;

R 10 and R 11 independently are hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 -cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl or C 1-6 haloalkoxy;

R 12 is C 1-6 haloalkyl;

R 3 is hydrogen, amino, nitro, cyano, halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 1-6 -haloalkyl, arylC 1-6 alkyl, arylC 1-6 alkenyl, arylC 1-6 alkynyl, heteroarylC 1-6 alkyl, heteroarylC 1-6 -alkenyl, heteroarylC 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, —OR 17 , —NR 17 R 18 , C 1-6 haloalkyl, —C(O)OR 17 , —COR 17 , —C(O)NR 17 R 18 , —SH, —S(O) 2 OR 17 , —S(O) 2 NR 17 R 18 , —SR 17 , —S(O)R 17 , —S(O) 2 R 17 , —NH—COR 17 or —NH—S(O) 2 R 17 ;

or R 3 is aryl or heteroaryl which may optionally be substituted with one, two, three or four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, nitro, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl, C 1-6 alkylaryl, hydroxy, —(CH 2 ) r O R 13 , —SH, —S(O) p R 13 , —S(O) p N(R 13 )(R 14 ), —C(O)O R 13 , —OC(O)R 13 , —C(O)R 13 , —C(O)N(R 13 )(R 14 ), —(CH 2 ) r N(R 13 )C(O)R 14 , —B(OR 13 )(OR 14 ) , —(CH 2 ) r N(R 13 )(R 14 ) and phenyl; wherein said phenyl is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected idependently from the group consisting of cyano, nitro, C 1-6 alkyl, halogen, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, —OR 15 —, —S(O) s R 15 , —C(O)OR 15 , —OC(O)R 15 , —C(O)R 15 , —C(O)N(R 15 )(R 16 ), —N(R 15 )(R 16 ), —(CH 2 ) s N(R 15 )C(O)R 16 , —B(OR 15 )(OR 16 ), —(CH 2 ) t OR 15 and —(CH 2 ) t N(R 15 )(R 16 );

R 13 ,R 14 ,R 15 ,R 16 R 18 independently are hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl, C 1-6 aminoalkyl or phenyl, where said phenyl is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 haloalkoxy and C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl;

R 17 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl, C 1-6 aminoalkyl, arylC 1-6 alkyl or phenyl, where said phenyl is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 haloalkoxy and C 1-6 hydroxyalkyl;

or one or more of the substituent pairs R 10 and R 11 , R 13 and R 14 , R 15 and R 16 , R 17 and R 18 , when attached to the same nitrogen atom, together with said nitrogen atom form a saturated or unsaturated carbocyclic or heterocyclic 3-8-membered ring optionally substituted with one or more C 1-6 alkyl substituents;

p and s, independently of each other, are 0,1 or 2; and

r and t, independently of each other, are 0, 1, 2 or 3.

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a five-membered heteroaryl group.

3. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a six-membered heteroaryl group.

4. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 12 is C 1-6 -fluoroalkyl.

5. The compound according to claim 4 , wherein R 12 is trifluoromethyl.

6. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein, when m is 0, R 2 and R 3 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, or R 3 and R 4 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached, form a 9-11-membered bicyclic ring system which may be fully conjugated or partly saturated, and which may optionally be substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 -alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 4-8 cycloalkenyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 haloalkoxy and C 1-6 haloalkyl.

7. The compound according to claim 6 , wherein m is 0, and R 3 and R 4 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached form a tetrahydronaphthalene ring system.

8. The compound according to claim 6 , wherein m is 0, and R 3 and R 4 together with the benzene ring to which they are attached form an indane ring system.

9. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 is halogen.

10. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein m is 0, and R 3 is —SR 17 , —S(O)R 17 or —S(O) 2 R 17 .

11. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein m is 0, and R 3 is —SCH 3 , —S(O)CH 3 , or —S(O) 2 CH 3 .

12. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 is phenyl substituted with one or more substituents selected independently from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 haloalkoxy, C 1-6 alkoxy, —S(O) p R 17 and —C(O)—R 17 .

13. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 4 is halogen or hydroxy.

14. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a five-membered heteroaryl group, and R 4 is C 1-6 alkyl.

15. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein one substituent among R 5 , R 6 and R 7 is —S(O) 2 CF 3 , and one of the remaining substituents among R 5 , R 6 and R 7 are chloro.

16. A compound, where the compound is a compound selected from the group consisting of:

3 -Chloro-N-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-5 -(3,5 -dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-6-hydroxy-2-methyl-benzamide;

3 -Fluoro-N-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-5 -(3,5 -dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-6-hydrxy-2-methyl-benzamide;

N-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-3 -(3,5 -dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-6-methyl-5 -methylsulfanyl-benzamide;

N-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-3 -(3,5 -dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5 -methanesulflnyl-6-methyl-benzamide;

N-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-3 -(3,5 -dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5 -methanesulfonyl-6-methyl-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-methylsulfanyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5-methanesulfinyl-6-methyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5-methanesulfonyl-6-methyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyridin-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5-methanesulfonyl-6-methyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyridin-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5-methanesulfinyl-6-methyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide;

N-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-3-(3,5-dimethyl-pyridin-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-5-methanesulfinyl-6-methyl-benzamide;

3-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyridin-4-yl)-5-fluoro-2-hydroxy-6-methyl-N-(2-methyl-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-benzamide; and

N-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-3-(3,5-dimethyl-pyridin-4-yl)-2-hydroxy-6-methyl-5-methylsulfanyl-benzamide;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

17. The compound according to claim 16 , where the compound is 3-chloro-N-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-phenyl)-5-(3,5-dimethyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-6-hydroxy-2-methyl-benzamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

18. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

19. A method for treating obesity comprising administering to a human subject a compound according to claim 1 .