MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR MODULATORS

1 . A compound of formula I,

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

X is selected from the group consisting of alkyl carboxylate; allyl carboxylate; aryl carboxylate; alkyl carboxyamide and aryl carboxamide;

Y is selected from the group consisting of alkyl and thioalkyl;

R 1 is unsubstituted or substituted aryl;

R 2 is alkyl;

Z is either cyano or substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic carboxylate.

2 . A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of ethyl carboxylate; methyl carboxylate; benzyl carboxylate; allyl carboxylate; methoxyphenylcarboxamide; and ethoxyphenylcarboxamide.

3 . A compound of claim 1 , wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of methyl; methylthiolate; ethylthiolate; and propylthiolate.

4 . A compound of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of chlorophenyl; dichlorophenyl; nitrophenyl; hydroxynitrophenyl; naphthyl; vinylphenyl; hydroxymethoxyphenyl and hydroxyethoxyphenyl.

5 . A compound of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is methyl.

6 . A compound of claim 1 , wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of carboxylate; cyano; benzyl carboxylate; allyl carboxylate; and isopropyl carboxylate.

7 . A compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, selected from the group consisting of diethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; dimethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(1-naphthyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; dimethyl 4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; diethyl 4-(2-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; dimethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-vinylphenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-cyano-6-(ethylthio)-N-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamide; 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-cyano-N-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-6-(methylthio)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamide; dimethyl 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; diethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(1-naphthyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; dibenzyl 4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-cyano-N-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-6-(propylthio)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamide; diallyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate; 5-cyano-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-6-(methylthio)-N-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamide; ethyl 4-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-cyano-6-(methylthio)-2-propyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylate; and ethyl isopropyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate.

8 . 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.

9 . Use of a compound according to claim 1 , or a composition according to claim 8 , for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases which are related to hypertension, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, systolic hypertension, renal insufficiency, renal ischemia, renal failure, renal fibrosis, cardiac insufficiency, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, myocardial ischemia, vascular inflammation, vascular dementia, cardiomyopathy, glomerulonephritis, renal colic, complications resulting from diabetes such as nephropathy, vasculopathy and neuropathy, macular degenerative disorders, metabolic syndrome, glaucoma, elevated intra-ocular pressure, atherosclerosis, post-angioplasty restenosis, complications following vascular or cardiac surgery, erectile dysfunction, hyperaldosteronism, lung fibrosis, scleroderma, anxiety, cognitive disorders, complications of treatments with immunosuppressive agents, and other diseases known to be related to the renin-angiotensin system, which method comprises administrating a compound as defined above to a human being or animal.

10 . A method for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases which are related to hypertension, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, systolic hypertension, renal insufficiency, renal ischemia, renal failure, renal fibrosis, cardiac insufficiency, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, myocardial ischemia, vascular inflammation, vascular dementia, cardiomyopathy, glomerulonephritis, renal colic, complications resulting from diabetes such as nephropathy, vasculopathy and neuropathy, macular degenerative disorders, metabolic syndrome, glaucoma, elevated intra-ocular pressure, atherosclerosis, post-angioplasty restenosis, complications following vascular or cardiac surgery, erectile dysfunction, hyperaldosteronism, lung fibrosis, scleroderma, anxiety, cognitive disorders, complications of treatments with immunosuppressive agents, and other diseases known to be related to the renin-angiotensin system, which method comprises administrating a compound as defined above to a human being or animal, comprising the administration to a patient of a pharmaceutically active amount of a compound according to claim 1 .