Phosphorus-containing prodrugs

1. A compound of formula I:

wherein:

V, W, and W′ are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, alkyl, aralkyl, alicyclic, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, 1-alkenyl, and 1-alkynyl; or

together V and Z are connected via an additional 3-5 atoms to form a cyclic group containing 5-7 ring atoms, optionally 1 heteroatom, substituted with hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, or aryloxycarbonyloxy attached to a carbon atom that is three atoms from both Y groups attached to the phosphorus; or

together V and Z are connected via an additional 3-5 atoms to form a cyclic group, optionally containing 1 heteroatom, said cyclic group is fused to an aryl group at the beta and gamma position to the Y adjacent to V;

together V and W are connected via an additional 3 carbon atoms to form an optionally substituted cyclic group containing 6 carbon atoms and substituted with one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, alkylthiocarbonyloxy, and aryloxycarbonyloxy, attached to one of said additional carbon atoms that is three atoms from a Y attached to the phosphorus;

together Z and W are connected via an additional 3-5 atoms to form a cyclic group, optionally containing one heteroatom, and V must be aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl;

together W and W′ are connected via an additional 2-5 atoms to form a cyclic group, optionally containing 0-2 heteroatoms, and V must be aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl;

Z is selected from the group consisting of —CHR 2 OH, —CHR 2 OC(O)R 3 , —CHR 2 OC(S)R 3 , —CHR 2 OC(S)OR 3 , —CHR 2 OC(O)SR 3 , —CHR 2 OCO 2 R 3 , —OR 2 , —SR 2 , —CHR 2 N 3 , —CH 2 aryl, —CH(aryl)OH, —CH(CH═CR 2 2 )OH, —CH(C≡CR 2 )OH, —R 2 , —NR 2 2 , —OCOR 3 , —OCO 2 R 3 , —SCOR 3 , —SCO 2 R 3 , —NHCOR 2 , —NHCO 2 R 3 , —CH 2 NHaryl, —(CH 2 ) p- OR 12 , and —(CH 2 ) p —SR 12 ;

p is an integer 2 or 3;

with the provisos that:

a) V, Z, W, W′ are not all —H; and

b) when Z is —R 2 , then at least one of V, W, and W′ is not —H, alkyl, aralkyl, or alicyclic;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of R 3 and —H;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, alicyclic, and aralkyl;

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of —H, and lower alkyl, acyloxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyloxy alkyl and lower acyl;

R 12 is selected from the group consisting of —H, and lower acyl;

each Y is independently selected from the group consisting of —O—, —NR 6 — with the proviso that at least one Y is —NR 6 —;

M is an agent selected from the group that when attached to H, PO 3 2 , P 2 O 6 3− , P 3 O 9 4− or P(O)(NHR 6 )O − is a biologically active agent, but is not an FBPase inhibitor, and is attached to the phosphorus in formula I via a carbon, oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atom of the M group;

with the provisos that:

1) M is not —NH(lower alkyl), —N(lower alkyl) 2 , —NH(lower alkylhalide), —N(lower alkylhalide) 2 , or —N(lower alkyl)(lower alkylhalide); and

2) R 6 is not lower alkylhalide;

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

2. The compounds of claim 1 wherein M is an agent selected from M-P(O)(NHR 6 )O − , M-PO 3 2− , M-P 2 O 6 3− , and M-P 3 O 9 4− , such that M-P(O)(NHR 6 )O − , M-PO 3 2− , M-P 2 O 6 3− , and M-P 3 O 9 4 is a biologically active agent selected from the group consisting of an antiviral, anticancer, antihyperlipidemic, antifibrotic, antiparasitic agents, metalloprotease inhibitor, and TS inhibitor.

3. The compounds of claim 2 wherein M is an agent selected from M-H, such that M-H is a biologically active agent selected from the group consisting of LdC, LdT, araA, AZT, d4T, ddI, ddA, ddC, L-ddC, L-FddC, L-d4C, L-Fd4C, 3TC, ribavirin, penciclovir, 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, FIAU, FIAC, BHCG, 2′R,5′S(−)-1-[2-(hydroxymethyl)oxathiolan-5-yl]cytosine, (−)-b-L-2′,3′-dideoxycytidine, (−)-b-L-2′,3′-dideoxy-5-fluorocytidine, FMAU, BvaraU, E-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′-deoxyuridine, Cobucavir, TFT, 5-propynyl-1-arabinosyluracil, CDG, DAPD, FDOC, d4C, DXG, FEAU, FLG, FLT, FTC, 5-yl-carbocyclic 2′-deoxyguanosine, Cytallene, Oxetanocin A, Oxetanocin G, Cyclobut A, Cyclobut G, fluorodeoxyuridine, dFdC, araC, bromodeoxyuridine, IDU, CdA, F-araA, 5-FdUMP, Coformycin, 2′-deoxycoformycin, ACV, GCV, penciclovir, (R)-9-(3,4 dihydroxybutyl) guanine, and cytallene.

4. The compounds of claim 1 wherein M is selected from an agent selected from M-PO 3 2− , such that M-PO 3 2− is a biologically active agent selected from the group consisting of PMEA, PMEDAP, HPMPC, HPMPA, FPMPA, and PMPA.

5. The compounds of claim 1 wherein MP(O)(NH R 6 )O, MPO 3 2− , MP 2 O 6 3− , or MP 3 O 9 4− is useful for the treatment of diseases of the liver or metabolic diseases where the liver is responsible for the overproduction of a biochemical end product.

6. The compounds of claim 5 wherein said disease of the liver or metabolic disease is selected from the group consisting of hepatitis, cancer, fibrosis, malaria, gallstones, chronic cholecystalithiasis, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and obesity.

7. The compounds of claim 5 wherein said biochemical end product is selected from the group consisting of glucose, cholesterol, fatty acids, and triglycerides.

8. The compounds of claim 7 wherein MPO 3 2− or MP(O)(NHR 6 )O − is an AMP activated protein kinase activator.

9. The compounds of claim 1 wherein Y is —O— located adjacent to the W′ and W groups.

10. The compounds of claim 1 wherein Y is —O— located adjacent to the V group.

11. The compounds of claim 1 wherein both Y groups are —NR 6 —.

12. The compounds of claim 1 wherein

V, W, and W′ are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, alkyl, aralkyl, alicyclic, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, 1-alkenyl, and 1-alkynyl; or

together V and W are connected via an additional 3 carbon atoms to form an optionally substituted cyclic group containing 6 carbon atoms and substituted with one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, alkylthiocarbonyloxy, and aryloxycarbonyloxy, attached to one of said additional carbon atoms that is three atoms from a Y attached to the phosphorus.

13. The compounds of claim 12 wherein V is selected from the group consisting of aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl; or

together V and W are connected via an additional 3 carbon atoms to form a cyclic substituted group containing 6 carbon atoms and mono-substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, alkylthiocarbonyloxy, and aryloxycarbonyloxy attached to one of said additional carbon atoms that is three atoms from an Y attached to the phosphorus.

14. The compounds of claim 13 wherein V is selected from the group consisting of aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, and substituted heteroaryl.

15. The compounds of claim 14 wherein Z, W, and W′ are H; and R 6 is selected from the group consisting of —H, and lower alkyl.

16. The compounds of claim 14 wherein V is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, and substituted phenyl.

17. The compounds of claim 14 wherein V is selected from the group consisting of 3,5-dichlorophenyl, 3-bromo-4-fluorophenyl, 3-chlorophenyl, 3-bromophenyl, 3,5-difluorophenyl, and 4-pyridyl.

18. The compounds of claim 13 wherein together V and W are connected via an additional 3 carbon atoms to form an optionally substituted cyclic group containing 6 carbon atoms and mono-substituted with one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, acyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, alkylthiocarbonyloxy, and aryloxycarbonyloxy attached to one of said additional carbon atoms that is three atoms from an Y attached to the phosphorus.

19. The compounds of claim 18 wherein together V and W form a cyclic group selected from the group consisting of —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH(OCOR 3 )—CH 2 —, and —CH 2 CH(OCO 2 R 3 )—CH 2 —.

20. The compounds of claim 12 wherein said compound is selected from a compound of formula VI:

wherein

V is selected froth the group consisting of aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, and substituted heteroaryl.

21. The compounds of claim 12 wherein said compound is selected from a compound of formula VII:

wherein

Z is selected from the group consisting of:

—CHR 2 OH, —CHR 2 OC(O)R 3 , —CHR 2 OC(S)R 3 , —CHR 2 OCO 2 R 3 , —CHR 2 OC(O)SR 3 , —CHR 2 OC(S)OR 3 , and —CH 2 aryl.

22. The compounds of claim 12 wherein said compound is selected from a compound of formula VIII:

wherein

Z′ is selected from the group consisting of —OH, —OC(O)R 3 , —OCO 2 R 3 , and —OC(O)S R 3 ;

D 3 is —H;

D 4 is selected from the group consisting of —H, alkyl, —OH, and —OC(O)R 3 .

23. The compounds of claim 12 wherein W′ and Z are —H, W and V are both the same aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl, and both Y groups are the same —NR 6 —, such that the phosphonate moiety:

has a plane of symmetry through the phosphorus-oxygen double bond.

24. A method of enhancing oral bioavailability of a parent drug by administering to an animal a compound of claim 1 .

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said oral bioavailability is at least 10%.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said oral bioavailability is enhanced by 50% compared to the parent drug administered orally.