Bicyclic aryl and bicyclic heteroaryl substituted triazoles useful as Axl inhibitors

1. A method of treating a disease or condition alleviated by a decrease in Axl activity in a mammal, wherein the method comprises administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of formula (I):

wherein:

R 1 , R 4 and R 5 are each independently selected from group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, —C(O)R 9 and —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 ;

R 2 and R 3 are each independently a bicyclic aryl or a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II):

where:

A is an alkylene chain containing six to ten carbons, an alkenylene chain containing six to ten carbons, or an alkynylene chain containing six to ten carbons, where one or two carbons of the alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene chain is optionally replaced by —NR 9 —, ═N—, —O—, —S(O) p — (where p is 0, 1 or 2) or —P(O) p — (where p is 0, 1 or 2) and where each carbon in the alkylene chain, the alkenylene chain or the alkynylene chain is independently optionally substituted by one or two substituents selected from the group consisting of oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, halo, haloalkyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, —R 10 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —CN, —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 10 —O—R 11 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(NR 12 )N(R 12 )H, —R 10 —OC(O)—R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) t OR 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 10 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2); and

B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and B 4 are each independently ═C(R 8 )— or ═N—, provided that one of B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and B 4 is a carbon directly bonded to the nitrogen to which its corresponding R 2 or R 3 is attached;

or R 2 is selected from the group consisting of a bicyclic aryl and a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II), as defined above, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl wherein the aryl and heteroaryl are each optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 15 —OR 14 , —R 15 —OC(O)—R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —C(O)N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )S(O) t R 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) t OR 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) p R 14 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 15 —S(O) t N(R 14 ) 2 (where t is 1 or 2), where each R 14 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, and each R 15 is independently a direct bond or a straight or branched alkylene or alkenylene chain;

or R 2 is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl, each optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 15 —OR 14 , —R 15 —OC(O)—R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —C(O)N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )S(O) t R 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) t OR 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) p R 14 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 15 —S(O) t N(R 14 ) 2 (where t is 1 or 2), where each R 14 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, and each R 15 is independently a direct bond or a straight or branched alkylene or alkenylene chain, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of a bicyclic aryl and a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II), as defined above;

each R 6 and R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, hydroxyalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 11 —OR 9 , —R 11 —CN, —R 11 —NO 2 , —R 11 —N(R 9 ) 2 , —R 11 —C(O)OR 9 and —R 11 —C(O)N(R 9 ) 2 , or any R 6 and R 7 , together with the common nitrogen to which they are both attached, form an optionally substituted N-heteroaryl or an optionally substituted N-heterocyclyl;

each R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halo, haloalkyl, alkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, —R 10 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —CN, —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 10 —O—R 11 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(NR 12 )N(R 12 )H, —R 10 —OC(O)—R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) t OR 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 10 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2);

each R 9 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, and optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl;

each R 10 is independently selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkenylene chain and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkynylene chain;

each R 11 is independently selected from the group consisting of an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkenylene chain and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkynylene chain; and

each R 12 is hydrogen, alkyl, cyano, nitro or —OR 9 ;

as an isolated stereoisomer or a mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the disease or condition is selected from breast carcinoma, renal carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, melanoma, prostate carcinoma, sarcoma, gastric cancer, uveal melanoma, myeloid leukemia and lymphoma.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disease or condition is selected from the group consisting of breast carcinoma, renal carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, melanoma, prostate carcinoma, sarcoma, gastric cancer and uveal melanoma.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disease or condition is myeloid leukemia or lymphoma.

4. A method of inhibiting Axl activity in a mammalian cell, wherein the method comprises contacting the mammalian cell with a compound of formula (I):

wherein:

R 1 , R 4 and R 5 are each independently selected from group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, —C(O)R 9 and —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 ;

R 2 and R 3 are each independently a bicyclic aryl or a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II):

where:

A is an alkylene chain containing six to ten carbons, an alkenylene chain containing six to ten carbons, or an alkynylene chain containing six to ten carbons, where one or two carbons of the alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene chain is optionally replaced by —NR 9 —, ═N—, —O—, —S(O) p — (where p is 0, 1 or 2) or —P(O) p — (where p is 0, 1 or 2) and where each carbon in the alkylene chain, the alkenylene chain or the alkynylene chain is independently optionally substituted by one or two substituents selected from the group consisting of oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, halo, haloalkyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, —R 10 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —CN, —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 10 —O—R 11 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(NR 12 )N(R 12 )H, —R 10 —OC(O)—R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) t OR 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 10 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2); and

B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and B 4 are each independently ═C(R 8 )— or ═N—, provided that one of B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and B 4 is a carbon directly bonded to the nitrogen to which its corresponding R 2 or R 3 is attached;

or R 2 is selected from the group consisting of a bicyclic aryl and a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II), as defined above, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl wherein the aryl and heteroaryl are each optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 15 —OR 14 , —R 15 —OC(O)—R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —C(O)N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )S(O) t R 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) t OR 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) p R 14 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 15 —S(O) t N(R 14 ) 2 (where t is 1 or 2), where each R 14 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, and each R 15 is independently a direct bond or a straight or branched alkylene or alkenylene chain;

or R 2 is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl, each optionally substituted by one or more substitutents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, oxo, thioxo, cyano, nitro, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 15 —OR 14 , —R 15 —OC(O)—R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —C(O)N(R 14 ) 2 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )C(O)R 14 , —R 15 —N(R 14 )S(O) t R 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) t OR 14 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 15 —S(O) p R 14 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 15 —S(O) t N(R 14 ) 2 (where t is 1 or 2), where each R 14 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, and each R 15 is independently a direct bond or a straight or branched alkylene or alkenylene chain, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of a bicyclic aryl and a bicyclic heteroaryl of formula (II), as defined above;

each R 6 and R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, hydroxyalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl, —R 11 —OR 9 , —R 11 —CN, —R 11 —NO 2 , —R 11 —N(R 9 ) 2 , —R 11 —C(O)OR 9 and —R 11 —C(O)N(R 9 ) 2 , or any R 6 and R 7 , together with the common nitrogen to which they are both attached, form an optionally substituted N-heteroaryl or an optionally substituted N-heterocyclyl;

each R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, cyano, nitro, halo, haloalkyl, alkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, —R 10 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —O—R 11 —OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —CN, —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), —R 10 —O—R 11 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —O—R 11 —C(NR 12 )N(R 12 )H, —R 10 —OC(O)—R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —C(O)OR 9 , —R 10 —C(O)N(R 6 )R 7 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)OR 14 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )C(O)R 9 , —R 10 —N(R 6 )S(O) t R 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) t OR 9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R 10 —S(O) p R 9 (where p is 0, 1 or 2), and —R 10 —S(O) t N(R 6 )R 7 (where t is 1 or 2);

each R 9 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, haloalkyl, haloalkenyl, haloalkynyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted aralkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkynyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkynyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl, and optionally substituted heteroarylalkynyl;

each R 10 is independently selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkenylene chain and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkynylene chain;

each R 11 is independently selected from the group consisting of an optionally substituted straight or branched alkylene chain, an optionally substituted straight or branched alkenylene chain and an optionally substituted straight or branched alkynylene chain; and

each R 12 is hydrogen, alkyl, cyano, nitro or —OR 9 ;

as an isolated stereoisomer or a mixture thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.