2-PHENYL PHENOXYACETIC ACIDS USEFUL FOR TREATING INFLAMMATORY DISORDERS

1 . A compound of formula I

or a salt thereof

wherein

X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, cyano, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, —O(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl and —S(O) m (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, each (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl optionally substituted with one chlorine, iodine or bromine atom or one or more fluorine atoms;

m is zero, one or two;

n is one or two;

Y is carbon or SO;

Q is oxygen, NH or (CH 2 ) P , with the proviso that when Y is SO, Q cannot be oxygen;

p is zero or 1-4;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) aryl and heterocyclyl, each optionally substituted with one to three substituents chosen from (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkyl, halogen, cyano and (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkoxy;

(b) (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, optionally substituted with one to three substituents chosen from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, chlorine, iodine, bromine, cyano and (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkoxy or optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms; and

(c) (C 1 -C 8 )heteroalkyl;

q is zero or 1-4; and

R 7 is chosen from:

(a) aryl and heterocyclyl, each optionally substituted with one to three substituents from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkyl, halogen, cyano and (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkoxy;

(b) (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, optionally substituted with one to three substituents from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, chlorine, iodine, bromine, cyano and (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkoxy or optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

(c) (C 1 -C 8 )heteroalkyl; and

(d) CON(H) (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl; with the proviso that when Q is (CH 2 ) P , R 4 and R 7 cannot both be alkyl.

2 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein n is one.

3 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein the (CH 2 ) n substituent is in the meta position.

4 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein Y is equal to carbon.

5 . A compound or salt according to claim 4 wherein Q is equal to oxygen and R 4 is alkyl, heteroaryl or aryl.

6 . A compound or salt according to claim 5 wherein R 4 is butyl.

7 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein q is one.

8 . A compound or salt according to claim 7 wherein R 7 is CON(H)alkyl.

9 . A compound or salt according to claim 8 wherein R 7 is CON(H)butyl.

10 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein q is zero and R 7 is methyl.

11 . A compound or salt according to claim 3 wherein

X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF 3 and alkyl; n is one;

Y is carbon;

Q is oxygen;

R 4 is a (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl;

q is one; and

R 7 is chosen from:

(a) aryl and heterocyclyl, each optionally substituted with one to three substituents from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy, haloalkyl, halogen, cyano and (C 1 -C 4 )haloalkoxy;

(b) (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, optionally substituted with one to three substituents from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 8 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkyl, chlorine, iodine, bromine, cyano and (C 1 -C 8 )haloalkoxy or optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms;

(c) heteroalkyl; and

(d) CON(H)(C 1 -C 8 )alkyl.

12 . A compound or salt according to claim 11 wherein R 7 is CON(H)alkyl.

13 . A compound or salt according to claim 3 of formula II

wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF 3 and alkyl.

14 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein Y is equal to SO.

15 . A compound or salt according to claim 14 wherein Q is (CH 2 ) P , p is zero, and R 4 is an aryl or a heteroaryl.

16 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein the (CH 2 ) n substituent is in the para position.

17 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein X is hydrogen, alkyl, CF 3 , chlorine or fluorine.

18 . A compound or salt according to claim 17 wherein X is methyl.

19 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein X is CF 3 .

20 . A compound or salt according to claim 19 wherein R 7 is aryl or heteroaryl.

21 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein R 4 is selected from phenyl and pyridine.

22 . A compound or salt according to claim 1 wherein R 7 is selected from phenyl and thiazole.

23 . A compound or salt thereof according to claim 1 selected from

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl) [2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl)[2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-fluorobiphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl)[2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-methylbiphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl) [2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl) [2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-chlorobiphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[[2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl] (phenylacetyl)amino]methyl}-biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(butoxycarbonyl)(methyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(butoxycarbonyl)(butyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({(butoxycarbonyl)[2-(methylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′4 {(acetyl) [2-(methylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[acetyl(phenyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[methyl(phenylcarbonyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[methyl(phenoxycarbonyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(butoxycarbonyl)(phenyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(butoxycarbonyl)(1,3-thiazol-2-ylmethyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(anilinocarbonyl)(methyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-({methyl[(pyridine-2-ylamino)carbonyl]amino}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(butylaminocarbonyl)(methyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′4 {methyl[(pyridine-2-yloxy)carbonyl]amino}methyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[methyl(pyridine-3-ylcarbonyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(benzensulfonyl)(methyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid,

{[3′-{[(pyridine-3-ylsulfonyl)(methyl)amino]methyl}-5-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid, and

{[4′-({(butoxy carbonyl) [2-(butylamino)-2-oxoethyl]amino}ethyl)biphenyl-2-yl]oxy}acetic acid.

24 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound or salt according to claim 1 .

25 . A method of treating, preventing or ameliorating a disorder responsive to inhibition of chemoattractant receptor-homogolous molecule expressed on T helper 2 cells, which comprises administering to a subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt according to claim 1 .

26 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is an inflammatory disease.

27 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is a respiratory disease.

28 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is selected from asthma, rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, nasal polyposis, nasal congestion, farmer's lung, fibroid lung and cough.

29 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is a skin disorder.

30 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is dermatitis, cutaneous eosinophilias, Lichen planus, urticaria, psoriasis, pruritus, angiodermas, corneal ulcers, chronic skin ulcers, conjunctivitis, vasculitides, uveitis or erythemas.

31 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said disorder is selected from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, pain and inflammatory bowel disease.

32 . A method according to claim 25 wherein said subject is a human.

33 . A salt of a compound according to claim 1 wherein said salt is a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

34 . (canceled)

35 . (canceled)

36 . (canceled)

37 . (canceled)

38 . (canceled)

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42 . (canceled)

43 . (canceled)

44 . (canceled)

45 . (canceled)

46 . (canceled)

47 . (canceled)