Nitrile derivatives and their pharmaceutical use and compositions

1. A pharmaceutical composition for treating hyperproliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases, viral infections or bacterial infections in mammals comprising an antihyperproliferative disease, anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antibacterial effective amount of a compound of formula I

wherein, Z is selected from sulphur, copper, silver, gold and platinum, or Z is a halogen-containing moiety selected from ClO 2 , BrO 2 , and IO 2 ;

wherein n is zero or an integer from 1 to 8 and m is zero or an integer from 1 to 8;

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, wherein the alkyl moieties of said alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups may be linear, branched and cyclic and combinations of linear, branched and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl moieties and said groups may be substituted with groups selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, methoxy, ethoxy, O-n-propyl, O-isopropyl, O-n-butyl, and O-t-butyl; or

R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the nitrogens to which they are directly attached and the carbon which is attached to the nitrogens, form a five or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7 as shown below

wherein the broken line represents an optional double bond, with the proviso that when there is such a double bond, R 3 is absent and the CH 2 group adjacent to the double bond has one hydrogen rather than two hydrogens,

or R 2 and R 3 taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a three or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7, as shown below

W is absent or W is selected from

—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, trans —CH═CH—, cis —CH═CH—, —C≡≡C—, or —CHR 4 —CHR 5 —, trans —C R 4 ═C R 5 —, cis —CR 4 ═CR 5 —, wherein R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether (also referred to as C 1 -C 6 alkyl —O—); or

W is a disubstituted moiety, wherein the term disubstituted is used to indicate how W is attached to the groups (CH 2 ) m and (CH 2 ) n , selected from the group of disubstituted moieties consisting of

(a) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

(b) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; the six membered ring may be saturated or have one, two or three double bonds, the five and four membered rings may be saturated or have one or two double bonds and the three membered ring may be saturated or have one double bond; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(c) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, or 1,7-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated 9-membered rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to the thirteenth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(d) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, or 1,8-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated naphthalene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said rings selected from the second to sixth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur; and

(e) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, 1,8-, 1,9-, 1,10-, 2,5-, 3,5-, 4,5-, or 5,10-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated anthracene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to ninth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

2. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein Z is sulphur.

3. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula II

wherein n, m, W, Z, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are as defined in claim 1 and X is a pharmaceutically acceptable acid.

4. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 3 wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable acid is HCl or HBr.

5. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein the compound is S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

6. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein the compound is S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea hydrochloride.

7. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cellular hyperproliferation and the composition comprises an antihyperproliferation effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

8. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and the composition comprises an anticancer effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

9. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and the composition comprises an apoptosis inducing effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

10. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition is in dosage unit form.

11. A parenteral pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 .

12. A parenteral pharmaceutical composition according to claim 7 .

13. A parenteral pharmaceutical composition according to claim 8 .

14. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 11 in dosage unit form.

15. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 12 in dosage unit form.

16. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 13 in dosage unit form.

17. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 with the proviso that said composition does not contain S-cyanomethylisothiourea HBr.

18. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 wherein said mammal is a human.

19. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 1 comprising a compound selected from S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea, S-(4-cyanobutyl)isothiourea, S-(5-cyanopentyl)isothiourea, S-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-2(4-[2-cyanoethyl]phenyl)ethylisothiourea, S-(2-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-(6-cyanomethylpyridin-2-yl)methylisothiourea, S-(3-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-(1-cyanomethylnaphth-2-yl>>methylisothiourea, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

20. A method of treating hyperproliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases, viral infections or bacterial infections comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an antihyperproliferative disease, anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antibacterial effective amount of a compound of formula I

wherein, Z is selected from sulphur, copper, silver, gold and platinum, or Z is a halogen-containing moiety selected from ClO 2 , BrO 2 , and IO 2 ;

wherein n is zero or an integer from 1 to 8 and m is zero or an integer from 1 to 8;

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, wherein the alkyl moieties of said alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups may be linear, branched and cyclic and combinations of linear, branched and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl moieties and said groups may be substituted with groups selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, methoxy, ethoxy, O-n-propyl, O-isopropyl, O-n-butyl, and O-t-butyl; or

R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the nitrogens to which they are directly attached and the carbon which is attached to the nitrogens, form a five or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7 as shown below

wherein the broken line represents an optional double bond, with the proviso that when there is such a double bond, R 3 is absent and the CH 2 group adjacent to the double bond has one hydrogen rather than two hydrogens,

or R 2 and R 3 taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a three or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7, as shown below

W is absent or W is selected from

—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, trans —CH═CH—, cis —CH═CH—, —C≡≡C—, or —CHR 4 —CHR 3 —, trans —C R 4 ═C R 5 —, cis —CR 4 ═CR 5 —, wherein R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether (also referred to as C 1 -C 6 alkyl —O—); or

W is a disubstituted moiety, wherein the term disubstituted is used to indicate how W is attached to the groups (CH 2 ) m and (CH 2 ) n , selected from the group of disubstituted moieties consisting of

(a) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

(b) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; the six membered ring may be saturated or have one, two or three double bonds, the five and four membered rings may be saturated or have one or two double bonds and the three membered ring may be saturated or have one double bond; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(c) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, or 1,7-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated 9-membered rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to the thirteenth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(d) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, or 1,8-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated naphthalene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said rings selected from the second to sixth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 6 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur; and

(e) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, 1,8-, 1,9-, 1,10-, 2,5-, 3,5-, 4,5-, or 5,10-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated anthracene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to ninth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 — cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein Z is sulphur.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein the compound is S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein the compound is S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea hydrochloride.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the compound is selected from S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea, S-(4-cyanobutyl)isothiourea, S-(5-cyanopentyl)isothiourea, S-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)methyl isothiourea, S-2(4-[2-cyanoethyl]phenyl)ethylisothiourea, S-(2-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-(6-cyanomethylpyridin-2-yl)methylisothiourea, S-(3-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-(1-cyanomethylnaphth-2-yl>>methylisothiourea, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

25. A method according to claim 20 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cellular hyperproliferation and an antihyperproliferation effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered.

26. A method according to claim 20 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and an anticancer effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered.

27. A method according to claim 20 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and an apoptosis inducing effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered.

28. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the hyperproliferative disease is selected from the group consisting of cancer of the breast, bladder, bone, brain, central and peripheral nervous system, colon, endocrine glands, esophagus, endometrium, germ cells, head and neck, kidney, liver, lung, larynx and hypopharynx, mesothelioma, sarcoma, ovary, pancreas, prostate, rectum, small intestine, soft tissue, testis, stomach, skin, ureter, vagina and vulva; inherited cancers, retinoblastoma and Wilms tumor; leukemia, lymphoma, non-Hodgkins disease, chronic and acute myeloid leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkins disease, multiple myeloma and T-cell lymphoma; myelodysplastic syndrome, plasma cell neoplasia, paraneoplastic syndromes, cancers of unknown primary site, drug resistant cancers and AIDS related malignancies and the disease is treated by administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an antihyperproliferalive disease effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered.

29. A method according to claim 20 , wherein the hyperproliferative disease is a cancer selected from the group consisting of head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, resistant types of lung and any female cancers, ovarian cancer and colon cancer and the disease is treated by administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an anticancer effective amount of a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

30. A method according to claim 28 , wherein the hyperproliferative disease is selected from the group consisting of head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer and colon cancer.

31. A method according to claim 28 wherein the head cancer is a glioma.

32. A method according to claim 20 wherein the mammal is a human.

33. A method of treating a hyperproliferative disease according to claim 20 , wherein the disease is responsive to induction of apoptosis in a mammalian patient, comprising administering separately, simultaneously, concurrently, sequentially or chronologically staggered to said patient in need thereof, an amount of an active compound, which is a compound of formula I, as defined in claim 20 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and an amount of at least one second compound or radiation, said second compound being an anti-cancer agent selected from the group consisting of chemotherapeutic anti-cancer agents and target-specific anti-cancer agents, wherein the amounts of the active compound and the second compound or radiation result in a therapeutic effect.

34. A method according to claim 33 , wherein said second compound is selected from the group consisting of (i) alkylating/carbamylating agents; (ii) platinum derivatives; (iii) antimitotic agents/\ubulin inhibitors; (iv) topoisomerase inhibitors; (v) pyrimidine antagonists; (vi) purine antagonists; (vii) folic acid antagonists; and (viii) injected radioactive materials.

35. A method according to claim 33 , wherein said target-specific anti-cancer agent is selected from the group consisting of (i) kinase inhibitors; (ii) proteasome inhibitors; (iii) histone deacetylase inhibitors; (iv) heat shock protein 90 inhibitors; (v) vascular targeting agents (VAT) anti-angiogenic drugs, and KDR tyrosine kinase inhibitors; (vi) monoclonal antibodies as well as mutants and conjugates of monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments; (vii) oligonucleotide based therapeutics; (viii) Toll-like receptor/TLR 9 agonists, TLR 7 agonists and analogues thereof, or TLR 7/8 agonists as well as immunostimulatory RNA as TLR 7/8 agonists; (ix) protease inhibitors; (x) hormonal therapeutics; (xi) bleomycin; (xii) retinoids; (xiii) DNA methyltransferase inhibitors; (xiv) alanosine; (xv) cytokines; (xvi) interferons; and (xvii) death receptor agonists.

36. A method according to claim 33 , wherein said compound of formula I or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered separately, simultaneously, concurrently, sequentially or chronologically staggered with an anticancer effective amount of radiation.

37. A compound of formula I

wherein, Z is selected from sulphur, copper, silver, gold and platinum, or Z is a halogen-containing moiety selected from ClO 2 , BrO 2 , and IO 2 ;

wherein n is zero or an integer from 1 to 8 and m is zero or an integer from 1 to 8;

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, and C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, wherein the alkyl moieties of said alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups may be linear, branched and cyclic and combinations of linear, branched and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl moieties and said groups may be substituted with groups selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, methoxy, ethoxy, O-n-propyl, O-isopropyl, O-n-butyl, and O-t-butyl; or

R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the nitrogens to which they are directly attached and the carbon which is attached to the nitrogens, form a five or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7 as shown below

wherein the broken line represents an optional double bond, with the proviso that when there is such a double bond, R 3 is absent and the CH 2 group adjacent to the double bond has one hydrogen rather than two hydrogens,

or R 2 and R 3 taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a three or more membered ring, wherein p is an integer from 1 to 7, as shown below

W is absent or W is selected from

—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, trans —CH═CH—, cis —CH═CH—, —C≡≡C—, or —CHR 4 —CHR 5 —, trans —C R 4 ═C R 5 —, cis —CR 4 ═CR 5 —, wherein R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether (also referred to as C 1 -C 6 alkyl —O—); or

W is a disubstituted moiety, wherein the term disubstituted is used to indicate how W is attached to the groups (CH 2 ) m and (CH 2 ) n , selected from the group of disubstituted moieties consisting of,

(a) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

(b) a 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4-disubstituted six membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one, two or three double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted five membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; a 1,2-, or 1,3-disubstituted four membered ring which may be saturated or unsaturated with one or two double bonds; or a 1,2-disubstituted three membered ring which may be saturated and unsaturated with a double bond as shown by the following formulas, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 8 , R 7 , R 8 and R 9 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; the six membered ring may be saturated or have one, two or three double bonds, the five and four membered rings may be saturated or have one or two double bonds and the three membered ring may be saturated or have one double bond; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(c) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, or 1,7-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated 9-membered rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to the thirteenth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

(d) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, or 1,8-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated naphthalene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said rings selected from the second to sixth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds; wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur; and

(e) a ring selected from 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, 1,7-, 1,8-, 1,9-, 1,10-, 2,5-, 3,5-, 4,5-, or 5,10-disubstituted saturated and unsaturated anthracene rings with one or more double bonds, with ring positions numbered as shown in the first ring set forth below, said ring selected from the second to ninth rings set forth below, wherein the substituents on said disubstituted rings are the groups attached to W in formula I, and said disubstituted rings may have additional substituents R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 as shown in the following formulas

wherein the broken lines indicate optional double bonds;

wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from hydrogen, —CH 2 -cyclohexyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ether; wherein Y is nitrogen, oxygen, or sulphur;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof with the proviso that the compound is not S-(cyanomethyl)isothiourea HCl, S-(cyanomethyl)isothiourea HBr, S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea HCl, S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea HBr, S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea p-toluenesulfonate, S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea HCl, S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea picrate, or S-para-cyanobenzylisothiourea HCl.

38. A compound according to claim 32 wherein Z is sulphur.

39. A compound according to claim 37 with the proviso that the compound is not a hydrobromide salt of S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea or S-para-cyanobenzylisothiourea.

40. A compound according to claim 37 with the proviso that the compound is not a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of S-(cyanomethyl)isothiourea, S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea, S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea, or S-para-cyanobenzylisothiourea.

41. A compound according to claim 37 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with the proviso that the compound is not selected from S-(cyanomethyl)isothiourea, S-(2-cyanoethyl)isothiourea, S-(3-cyanopropyl)isothiourea and S-para-cyanobenzylisothiourea and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

42. A compound according to claim 37 selected from S-(4-cyanobutyl)isothiourea, S-(5-cyanopentyl)isothiourea, S-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-2(4-[2-cyanoethyl]phenyl)ethylisothiourea, S-(2-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, S-(6-cyanomethylpyridin-2-yl)methylisothiourea, S-(3-cyanomethylphenyl)methylisothiourea, and S-(1-cyanomethylnaphth-2-yl))methylisothiourea and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

43. A compound according to claim 37 wherein the compound of formula I are selected from the following compounds

and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof wherein n and m are zero or independently integers from 1 to 8 and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 may be methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, cyclopropyl, —CH 2 -cyclopropyl, vinyl, allyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, cyclobutyl, —CH 2 -cyclobutyl, n-pentyl, sec-pentyl, isopentyl, tert-pentyl, cyclopentyl, —CH 2 -cyclopentyl, n-hexyl, sec-hexyl, cyclohexyl, and —CH 2 -cyclohexyl moieties which may bear one or more substituents as defined in claim 35 and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 may also be alkenyl and alkynyl; wherein the alkenyl groups are ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, or 1-methyl-2-buten-1-yl; and the alkynyl groups are ethynyl, 2-propynyl (propargyl), or 1-propynyl.

44. A pharmaceutical composition for treating hyperproliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases, viral infections or bacterial infections in mammals comprising an antihyperproliferation, anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antibacterial effective amount of a compound of claim 43 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

45. A method of treating hyperproliferative diseases, inflammatory diseases, viral infections or bacterial infections in mammals comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an antihyperproliferation, anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antibacterial effective amount of a compound of claim 43 .

46. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 44 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and the composition comprises an apoptosis inducing amount of the compound.

47. A method according to claim 45 wherein the hyperproliferative disease is cancer and an apoptosis inducing amount of a compound is administered.

48. A method according to claim 20 wherein said compound is activator of potent tumor suppressor gene p53 as an agent in treating cancer and regulating pro-longevity.