Mineralocorticoid receptor modulators

1. A compound of formula I,

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, or an optical isomer thereof, wherein

Z is selected from the group consisting of

1) an aryl ring,

2) a heteroaryl ring, wherein the point of attachment to the heteroaryl ring is a carbon atom, and the heteroaryl ring is selected from the group consisting of:

a) a 5-membered unsaturated monocyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S,

b) a 6-membered unsaturated monocyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S, and

c) an 8-, 9- or 10-membered unsaturated bicyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S, and

3) a 4-6 membered saturated heterocyclic ring with 1, 2 or 3 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, wherein the point of attachment to the heterocyclic ring is a carbon atom,

said aryl, heteroaryl, saturated heterocyclic ring is unsubstituted, mono-substituted with R 4 , disubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , trisubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , or tetrasubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , and wherein any stable S or N heteroaryl or heterocyclic ring atom is unsubstituted or substituted with oxo, said heteroaryl ring R 4 substitutions being on one or more heteroaryl ring carbon atoms;

R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 6 alkyl,

or R 1 and R 2 , together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, form a benzimidazole ring substituted at the 1- and 2-positions;

R 3 and R 5 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, OH, and CN;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, halogen, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , SCF 3 , NHC(O)R 7 , OH, CN, NR a R b , CONR a R b , CO2Ra, C(O)0-2R a , SO2NR a R b , where R a and R b are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or R a and R b , together with the N atom to which they are attached, form a 3-8-membered ring containing the N atom and 1-3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S;

R 6 and R 9 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

R 7 is selected from the group consisting of

1) an aryl ring,

2) a heteroaryl ring, wherein the point of attachment to the heteroaryl ring is a carbon atom, and the heteroaryl ring is selected from the group consisting of:

a) a 5-membered unsaturated monocyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S,

b) a 6-membered unsaturated monocyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S, and

c) an 8-, 9- or 10-membered unsaturated bicyclic ring with 1, 2, 3, or 4 heteroatom ring atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O or S, and

3) C 1 -C 6 alkyl,

wherein said aryl ring, heteroaryl ring, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl is unsubstituted, mono-substituted with R 8 , disubstituted with groups independently selected from R 8 , trisubstituted with groups independently selected from R 8 , or tetrasubstituted with groups independently selected from R 8 , and wherein any stable S or N heteroaryl ring atom is unsubstituted or substituted with oxo, said heteroaryl ring R 8 , substitutions being on one or more heteroaryl ring carbon atoms; and

R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, OH, CN and halogen.

2. A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of an aryl ring and 9-membered unsaturated heteroaryl bicyclic ring with 1 or 2 heteroatom ring atoms, wherein the heteroatom is O, wherein said aryl or heteroaryl bicyclic ring is unsubstituted, mono-substituted with R 4 , disubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , trisubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , or tetrasubstituted with groups independently selected from R 4 , said heteroaryl ring R 4 substitutions being on one or more heteroaryl ring carbon atoms.

3. A compound of claim 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 4 is selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , OCH 3 , halogen, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , SCF 3 , Cl, Br, I, and NHC(O)R 7 .

4. A compound of claim 3 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 7 is aryl, either unsubstituted, mono-substituted with CH 3 or Cl, or independently di-substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 3 and Cl.

5. A compound of claim 4 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of

6. A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and CH 3 , or R 1 and R 2 , together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, form a benzimidazole ring substituted at the 1- and 2-positions.

7. A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 3 and R 5 are hydrogen.

8. A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and CH 3 .

9. A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, selected from the group consisting of:

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(1-phenylethyl)-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-[1-(3-iodophenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-{3-[(trifluoromethyl)thio]benzyl}-1H-imidazole,

1-{1-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethyl}-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazole,

1-[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl]-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(3-iodobenzyl)-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(3-methylbenzyl)-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(3-nitrobenzyl)-1H-imidazole,

3-{[2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl]methyl}aniline, 1-[1-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazole,

1-(5-bromo-2-methoxybenzyl)-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazole,

1-[(6-chloro-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)methyl]-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazole,

N-(3-{[2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl]methyl}phenyl)-3,5-dimethoxybenzamide,

3,5-dichloro-N-(3-{[2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl]methyl}phenyl)benzamide,

1-benzyl-2-(diphenylmethyl)-4,5-dimethyl-1H-imidazole,

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-benzimidazole,

1-benzyl-2-(diphenylmethyl)-1H-benzimidazole, and

2-(diphenylmethyl)-1-(1-phenylethyl)-1H-benzimidazole.

10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

11. A method for the treatment of hypertension or heart failure, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to a subject in need thereof.