Inhibitors of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme

1. A compound of formula (I)

wherein

A 1 is alkyl, or alkyl substituted with cyano, sulfanylidene, or sulfo;

A 2 , A 3 and A 4 are each individually hydrogen, alkenyl, alkyl, alkyl-NH-alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cyano, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, cycloalkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylcarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxyalkyl, heterocyclesulfonyl, halogen, haloalkyl, —NR 5 —[C(R 6 R 7 )] n —C(O)—R 8 , —O—[C(R 9 R 10 )] p —C(O)—R 11 , —OR 12 , —S-alkyl, —S(O)-alkyl, —N(R 13 R 14 ), —CO 2 R 15 , —C(O)—N(R 16 R 17 ), —C(R 18 R 19 )—OR 20 , —C(R 21 R 22 )—N(R 23 R 24 ), —C(═NOH)—N(H) 2 , —C(R 18a R 19a )—C(O)N(R 23 R 24 ), —S(O) 2 —N(R 25 R 26 ), or —C(R 18a R 19a )—S(O) 2 —N(R 25 R 26 );

n is 0 or 1;

p is 0 or 1;

D is —O—, —S—, —S(O)— or —S(O) 2 —;

E is alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, haloalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycle, or heterocyclealkyl; or R 4 and E taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a heterocycle;

R 1 is hydrogen or alkyl;

R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl or cycloalkyl;

R 3 and R 4 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, haloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycle or heterocyclealkyl, or R 3 and R 4 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a ring selected from the group consisting of cycloalkyl and heterocycle;

R 5 is hydrogen, alkyl, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl or heterocycleoxyalkyl;

R 6 and R 7 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl, or R 6 and R 7 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a ring of cycloalkyl or heterocycle;

R 8 is hydrogen, alkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, cycloalkyloxy, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocycleoxyalkyl or —N(R 27 R 28 );

R 9 and R 10 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl, or R 9 and R 10 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a ring of cycloalkyl or heterocycle;

R 11 is hydroxy or —N(R 29 R 30 );

R 12 is hydrogen, alkyl, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, haloalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl or heterocycleoxyalkyl;

R 13 and R 14 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxyalkyl or heterocyclesulfonyl;

R 15 is hydrogen, alkyl, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl or heterocycleoxyalkyl;

R 16 and R 17 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxyalkyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocyclesulfonyl, hydroxy, or -alkyl —C(O)N(R 201 R 202 ), or R 16 and R 17 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a heterocycle;

R 201 and R 202 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;

R 18 , R 19 and R 20 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, haloalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycle or heterocyclealkyl;

R 18a and R 19a are each independently hydrogen or alkyl;

R 21 and R 22 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylcarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, cycloalkyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylcarbonyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclecarbonyl or heterocyclesulfonyl;

R 23 and R 24 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylcarbonyl, aryloxy, arylsulfonyl, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylcarbonyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclecarbonyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocyclesulfonyl or hydroxy, or R 23 and R 24 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a ring of heteroaryl or heterocycle;

R 25 and R 26 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxyalkyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocyclesulfonyl or hydroxy, or R 25 and R 26 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a heterocycle;

R 27 and R 28 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocycleoxyalkyl, heterocyclesulfonyl or hydroxy, or R 27 and R 28 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a heterocycle; and

R 29 and R 30 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylsulfonyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyloxy, carboxycycloalkyl, cycloalkylsulfonyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxyalkyl, heteroarylsulfonyl, heterocycle, heterocyclealkyl, heterocycleoxy, heterocycleoxyalkyl, heterocyclesulfonyl or hydroxyl, or R 29 and R 30 taken together with the atom to which they are attached form a heterocycle;

or a salt thereof.

2. The compound as in claim 1 , wherein A 1 is alkyl substituted with cyano, sulfanylidene, or sulfo.

3. The compound as in claim 2 , wherein E is substituted aryl.

4. The compound as in claim 1 , that is

E-{4-[2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methyl-propionylamino] -adamantan-1-yl} -acetonitrile;

N-{(E)-5-[(thioacetyl)methyl]-2-adamantyl}-2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide; or

N-{(E)-5-[(sulfonic acid)methyl]-2-adamantyl}-2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropanamide.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of formula (I) of claim 1 , in combination with a pharmaceutically suitable carrier.

6. A compound or salt thereof wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of

((E)-4-{[2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropanoyl]amino}-1-adamantyl)acetic acid; and

2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-N-[(E)-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-adamantyl]-2-methylpropanamide.