Fluoro-substituted 2-aryl-3,5-dicyano-4-indazolyl-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridines and uses thereof

1. A compound of formula (I)

wherein

Ar is phenyl or 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl each of which may be substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of fluoro, chloro, bromo, cyano, nitro, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy, amino and mono-(C 1 -C 4 )-alkylamino, wherein said (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl and (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy substituents may be further substituted with up to three fluoro atoms,

R 1 is hydrogen or fluoro,

R 2 is hydrogen or methyl,

R 3 is hydrogen or fluoro,

and

R 4 is hydrogen or (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl,

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate and/or solvate thereof.

2. The compound of formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein

Ar is phenyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, thienyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, isoxazolyl or isothiazolyl each of which may be substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of fluoro, chloro, cyano, methyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, ethyl, methoxy, trifluoromethoxy and ethoxy,

R 1 is hydrogen or fluoro,

R 2 is hydrogen,

R 3 is hydrogen or fluoro,

and

R 4 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl,

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate and/or solvate thereof.

3. The compound of formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein

Ar is phenyl, pyridyl or oxazolyl each of which may be substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of fluoro, chloro, methyl, trifluoromethyl and methoxy,

R 1 is hydrogen or fluoro,

R 2 is hydrogen,

R 3 is hydrogen or fluoro,

and

R 4 is methyl,

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate and/or solvate thereof.

4. A process for preparing a compound of formula (I) as defined in claim 1 , wherein an indazolyl aldehyde of formula (II)

wherein R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

is reacted either

[A] with a ketonitrile of formula (III)

wherein Ar has the meaning indicated in claim 1 ,

in the presence of an acid, acid/base combination and/or dehydrating agent to give a compound of formula (IV)

wherein Ar, R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

and the latter is then condensed with an enaminonitrile of formula (V)

wherein R 1 has the meaning indicated in claim 1 ,

to yield the compound of formula (I-A)

wherein Ar, R 1 , R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

or

[B] with a ketonitrile of formula (VI)

wherein R 1 has the meaning indicated in claim 1 ,

optionally in the presence of a base and/or dehydrating agent to give a compound of formula (VII)

wherein R 1 , R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

and the latter is then condensed with an enaminonitrile of formula (VIII)

wherein Ar has the meaning indicated in claim 1 ,

in the presence of an acid to also yield the compound of formula (I-A)

wherein Ar, R 1 , R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

optionally followed by dihydropyridine N-methylation employing a compound of formula (IX)

CH 3 —X  (IX),

wherein

X represents a leaving group,

in the presence of a base to give the compound of formula (I-B)

wherein Ar, R 1 , R 3 and R 4 have the meanings indicated in claim 1 ,

and optionally followed by (i) separating the compound (I-A) or (I-B) into its enantiomers and/or diastereomers, and/or (ii) converting the compound (I-A) or (I-B) into a hydrate or solvate thereof by treatment with a corresponding solvent.

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as defined in claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable hydrate or solvate thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 5 further comprising one or more additional therapeutic agents.

7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 6 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is an anti-tumor agent.

8. A method of treating a cell proliferative disorder mediated by c-MET in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in claim 1 .

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cell proliferative disorder is cancer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cancer is a cancer of the breast, respiratory tract, brain, reproductive organs, digestive tract, urinary tract, eye, liver, skin, head or neck, thyroid, parathyroid, or a distant metastasis of a solid tumor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the compound as defined in claim 1 is administered in conjunction with surgery or radiation therapy.