Macrocyclic inhibitors of hepatitis C virus

1. A compound having the formula

an N-oxide, salt, or stereoisomer thereof,

wherein each dashed line (represented by - - - - -) represents an optional double bond;

X is CH and where X bears a double bond it is C;

R 1 is —OR 11 , or —NH—SO 2 R 12 ;

R 2 is hydrogen, and where X is C or CH, R 2 may also be C 1-6 alkyl;

R 3 is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxyC 1-6 alkyl, or C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

n is 3, 4, 5, or 6;

W is a heterocycle of formula

Q is N or CR 4 ;

R 4 is hydrogen; phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl;

R 5 is phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl;

one of R 6 , R 7 is phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl; while the other of R 6 , R 7 is hydrogen; phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl;

one of R 8 , R 9 , R 10 is phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl; while the other two of R 8 , R 9 , R 10 independently are hydrogen; phenyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl or with C 1-6 alkoxy; thiazolyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or pyridyl;

R 11 is hydrogen; aryl; Het; C 3-7 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or C 1-6 alkyl optionally substituted with C 3-7 cycloalkyl, aryl or with Het;

R 12 is aryl; Het; C 3-7 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with C 1-6 alkyl; or C 1-6 alkyl optionally substituted with C 3-7 cycloalkyl, aryl or with Het;

each aryl as a group or part of a group is phenyl, optionally substituted with one, two or three substituents selected from halo, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, carboxyl, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkoxyC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkylcarbonyl, amino, mono- or diC 1-6 alkylamino, azido, mercapto, polyhaloC 1-6 alkyl, polyhaloC 1-6 alkoxy, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, 4-C 1-6 alkyl-piperazinyl, 4-C 1-6 alkylcarbonyl-piperazinyl, morpholinyl; wherein the morpholinyl and piperidinyl groups may be optionally substituted with one or with two C 1-6 alkyl radicals; and

each Het as a group or part of a group is a 5 or 6 membered saturated, partially unsaturated or completely unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing 1 to 4 heteroatoms each independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, and being optionally substituted with one, two or three substituents each independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, carboxyl,

C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkoxyC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkylcarbonyl, amino, mono- or diC 1-6 alkylamino, azido, mercapto, polyhaloC 1-6 alkyl, polyhaloC 1-6 alkoxy, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, 4-C 1-6 alkyl-piperazinyl,

4-C 1-6 alkylcarbonyl-piperazinyl, morpholinyl; wherein the morpholinyl and piperidinyl groups may be optionally substituted with one or with two C 1-6 alkyl radicals

and wherein said compound is other than a solvate.

2. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein the compound has the formula (I-d), or (I-e):

3. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein W is

and R 5 is phenyl, 3-methoxyphenyl, 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl, 4-ethoxyphenyl, 4-propoxyphenyl, 4-butoxyphenyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, or 4-pyridyl.

4. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein W is

wherein R 6 is phenyl, m-methoxyphenyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, or 2-thiazolyl; and

R 7 is phenyl, p-methoxyphenyl, or 4-ethoxyphenyl.

5. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein

(a) R 1 is —OR 11 , wherein R 11 is C 1-6 alkyl or hydrogen; or

(b) R 1 is —NHS(═O) 2 R 12 , wherein R 12 is methyl, cyclopropyl, or phenyl.

6. A compound according to claim 1 other than an N-oxide, or salt.

7. A combination comprising

(a) a compound as defined in claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and

(b) ritonavir, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a carrier, and as active ingredient an anti-virally effective amount of a compound as claimed in claim 1 .

9. A method of inhibiting HCV replication in a warm-blooded animal said method comprising the administration of an effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 .

10. A process for preparing a compound as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said process comprises:

(a) preparing a compound of formula (I) wherein the bond between C 7 and C 8 is a double bond, which is a compound of formula (I-i), by forming a double bond between C 7 and C 8 , in particular via an olefin metathesis reaction, with concomitant cyclization to the macrocycle as outlined in the following reaction scheme:

(b) converting a compound of formula (I-i) to a compound of formula (I) wherein the link between C7 and C8 in the macrocycle is a single bond, i.e. a compound of formula (I-j):

by a reduction of the C7-C8 double bond in the compounds of formula (I-i);

(c) preparing a compound of formula (I) wherein R 1 represents —NHSO 2 R 12 , said compounds being represented by formula (I-k-1), by forming an amide bond between a intermediate (2a) and an sulfonylamine (2b), or preparing a compound of formula (I) wherein R 1 represents —OR 11 , i.e. a compound (I-k-2), by forming an ester bond between an intermediate (2a) and an alcohol (2c) as outlined in the following scheme wherein G represents a group:

(d) reacting an intermediate (4a) with an intermediate (4b) as outlined in the following reaction scheme:

wherein Y in (4a) represents hydroxy or a leaving group; which reaction in particular is an O-arylation reaction wherein Y represents a leaving group, or a Mitsunobu reaction, wherein Y represents hydroxy;

(e) preparing a compound of formula (I) wherein R 3 is hydrogen, said compound being represented by (I-1), from a corresponding nitrogen-protected intermediate (3a), wherein PG represents a nitrogen protecting group:

(f) converting compounds of formula (I) into each other by a functional group transformation reaction; or

(g) preparing a salt form by reacting the free form of a compound of formula (I) with an acid or a base.

11. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a carrier, and as active ingredient an anti-virally effective amount of a combination according to claim 7 .

12. A method of inhibiting HCV replication in a warm-blooded animal said method comprising the administration of an effective amount of the combination according to claim 7 .