Antibacterial agents

1. A substituted benzamide compound of formula (I) or a salt, hydrate, or solvate thereof, for use in treating bacterial infection:

wherein

R represents hydrogen or 1, 2 or 3 optional substituents;

W is ═C(R 1 )—;

R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is hydrogen, methyl, or fluorine;

R 3 is a radical of formula -(Alk 1 ) m -(Z) p -(Alk 2 ) n -Q wherein

m and n are independently 0;

p is 1; and

the divalent radical Z is selected from the following, optionally substituted, in either orientation:

Q is an optionally substituted phenyl,

wherein optionally substituted means substituted with up to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, hydroxy, hydroxy(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, mercapto, mercapto(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, halo, fully or partially fluorinated (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy or (C 1 -C 3 )alkylthio, nitro, nitrile (—CN), oxo (═O), phenyl, phenoxy, cyclopropel, monocyclic heteroaryl or heteroaryloxy with 5 or 6 ring atoms, —COOR A , —COR A , —OCOR A , —SO 2 R A , —CONR A R B , —SO 2 NR A R B , —NR A R B , OCONR A R B , —NR B COR A , —NR B COOR A , —NR B SO 2 OR A or —NR A CONR A R B wherein R A and R B are independently hydrogen or a (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group or, in the case where R A and R B are linked to the same N atom, R A and R B taken together with that nitrogen may form a cyclic amino ring, wherein where the substituent is phenyl, phenoxy or monocyclic heteroaryl or heteroaryloxy with 5 or 6 ring atoms, the phenyl or heteroaryl ring thereof may itself be substituted by any of the above substituents except phenyl phenoxy, heteroaryl, or heteroaryloxy.

2. The compound as claimed in claim 1 wherein R 2 is hydrogen.

3. A substituted benzamide compound of formula (IA) or a salt, hydrate, or solvate thereof:

wherein R 4 and R 5 are independently fluoro or chloro, or one of R 4 and R 5 is hydrogen while the other is fluoro or chloro;

R 1 is hydrogen;

R 2 is hydrogen and R 3 is a radical selected from those of formulae A-H:

Q is an optionally substituted phenyl,

wherein optionally substituted means substituted with up to four substituents independently selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, hydroxy, hydroxy(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, mercapto, mercapto(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, halo, fully or partially fluorinated (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl, (C 1 -C 3 )alkoxy or (C 1 -C 3 )alkylthio, nitro, nitrile (—CN), oxo (═O), phenyl, phenoxy, cyclopropel, monocyclic heteroaryl or heteroaryloxy with 5 or 6 ring atoms, —COOR A , —COR A , —OCOR A , —SO 2 R A , —CONR A R B , —SO 2 NR A R B , —NR A R B , OCONR A R B , —NR B COR A , —NR B COOR A , —NR B SO 2 OR A or —NR A CONR A R B wherein R A and R B are independently hydrogen or a (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl group or, in the case where R A and R B are linked to the same N atom, R A and R B taken together with that nitrogen may form a cyclic amino ring, wherein where the substituent is phenyl, phenoxy or monocyclic heteroaryl or heteroaryloxy with 5 or 6 ring atoms, the phenyl or heteroaryl ring thereof may itself be substituted by any of the above substituents except phenyl phenoxy, heteroaryl, or heteroaryloxy; and

wherein any unsubstituted ring carbon is optionally substituted.

4. The compound as claimed in claim 3 wherein R 2 is hydrogen, and R 3 is optionally substituted quinolin-2-yl, benzothiazol-2-yl, thiazolopyridin-2-yl, thiazol-2-yl, thiazol-4-yl, thiazol-5-yl, oxazol-2-yl, oxazol-4-yl, oxadiazol-3-yl or oxadiazol-5-yl.

5. The compound as claimed in claim 4 wherein R 3 is substituted by optionally substituted phenyl.

6. The compound as claimed in claim 3 wherein any optional substituents in R 3 are selected from methyl, —OCH 3 , —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , ethyl, cyclopropyl, oxo, hydroxyl, —F, —Cl, —Br, nitrile, acetyl, amino, methylamino, dimethylamino, acetylamino, carbamate, —CONH 2 , nitro, —COOH and —CH 2 OH.

7. A compound which is a substituted benzamide of formula (IC)

or a salt, hydrate or solvate thereof:

wherein W is ═C(R 1 )—;

R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is hydrogen, methyl, or fluoro;

R 4 and R 5 are independently fluoro or chloro, or one of R 4 and R 5 is hydrogen while the other is fluoro or chloro;

R 3 is a radical selected from those of the following formulae A-H, in which any vacant ring position is optionally substituted:

wherein Q is an optionally substituted phenyl.

8. A compound as claimed in claim 7 wherein W is ═CH— and R 2 is hydrogen.

9. A compound as claimed in claim 7 wherein R 3 is optionally substituted quinolin-2-yl, benzothiazol-2-yl, thiazol-2-yl, thiazol-4-yl, thiazol-5-yl, oxadiazol-3-yl, oxadiazol-5-yl, oxazol-2-yl, oxazol-4-yl, oxazol-5-yl or thiazolopyridin-2-yl.

10. A compound as claimed in claim 9 wherein R 3 is substituted by optionally substituted phenyl.

11. A compound as claimed in claim 7 wherein any optional substituents in R 3 are selected from methyl, —OCH 3 , —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , ethyl, cyclopropyl, oxo, hydroxyl, —F, —Cl, —Br, cyano, acetyl, amino, methylamino, dimethylamino, acetylamino, carbamate, —CONH 2 , nitro, —COOH and —CH 2 OH.

12. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 7 , together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

13. An antibacterial composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 7 in an amount effective to inhibit bacterial growth, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

14. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 1 , together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

15. An antibacterial composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 1 in an amount effective to inhibit bacterial growth, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 3 , together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

17. An antibacterial composition comprising a compound as claimed in claim 3 in an amount effective to inhibit bacterial growth, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.