Fused-imidazoyl compounds useful as antimicrobial agents

1. The compound of Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

X is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) CH, and

(b) N;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) CH, and

(b) N;

ring A is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) cycloalkyl,

(b) cycloalkenyl,

(c) aryl,

(d) heterocyclyl,

(e) heterocyclenyl, and

(f) heteroaryl,

wherein said cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclenyl, and heteroaryl is substituted by at least one R 2 ,

wherein when each of said cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclenyl, and heteroaryl, has substituents on adjacent carbon atoms, said substituents can optionally be taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a five- or six-membered cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclenyl, aryl or heteroaryl, wherein said five- or six-membered cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heterocyclyl, aryl or heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by at least one R 2 ;

each R l is independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) halo,

(b) alkyl,

(c) alkoxyl,

(d) —CN,

(e) —NH 2 ,

(f) —N(alkyl) 2 ,

(g) —N(H)alkyl, and

(h) haloalkyl;

each R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) alkyl,

(b) alkoxyl,

(c) haloalkyl,

(d) alkenyl,

(e) alkynyl,

(f) —NH 2 ,

(g) —N(alkyl) 2 ,

(h) —N(H)alkyl,

(i) halogen,

(j) —CN,

(k) —OH, and

(l) heterocyclyl;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) haloalkyl,

(b) alkoxyl,

(c) —NH 2 ,

(d) —NH(alkyl),

(e) —N(alkyl) 2 ,

(f) aryl,

(g) heteroaryl, and

(h) heteroaryl-N-oxide,

wherein each of said aryl, heteroaryl, or heteroaryl-N-oxide is independently unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxyl, thioalkoxyl, NO 2 , halo and —CN;

R 4a and R 4b are independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) alkyl, and

(c) haloalkyl;

Rhu 5 a, R 5b , R 6a , R 6b , R 7a , R 7b , R 8a and R 8b are independently selected from the group consisting of:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) alkyl, and

(c) haloalkyl;

R 9 is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) alkyl, and

(c) haloalkyl; and

m is 1, 2, 3, or 4,

n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4,

with the proviso that when Y is N, and Ring A is aryl, R 3 is not

2. The compound of claim 1 , ring A is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) phenyl,

(b) pyridinyl,

(c) pyrimidinyl,

(d) indolinyl,

(e) indolyl,

(f) benzo-morpholinyl,

(g) tetrahydroquinolinyl,

(h) thienyl, and

(i) furanyl,

wherein said phenyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, indolinyl, indolyl, benzo-morpholinyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, thienyl, and furanyl is substituted by at least one R 2 .

3. The compound of claim 2 , wherein R 3 is selected from the group consisting of

4. The compound of claim 3 , X is N;

R 4a and R 4b are each hydrogen; and

R 5a , R 5b , R 6a , R 6b , R 7a , R 7b , R 8a and R 8b are each hydrogen.

5. The compound of claim 4 , wherein:

each R l is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) chloro, and

(b) methyl; and

each R 2 is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) methyl,

(b) ethyl,

(c) propyl,

(d) isopropyl,

(e) —N(CH 3 ) 2 ,

(f) pyrrolidinyl,

(g) piperidinyl,

(h) thiomorpholinyl, and

(i) morpholinyl.

6. The compound of claim 1 , selected from the group consisting of:

or a pharamaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

7. An isolated or purified form of a compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

8. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound of any of claims 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

9. A method of treating a bacterial infection, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment at least one compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the bacterial infection is caused by a gram-positive bacterium.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said bacterial infection is caused by at least one gram-positive bacterium selected from the group consisting of Bacillus spp., Listeria spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Clostridium spp., Streptococcus spp., Actinomyces spp. and Mycobacterium spp.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said bacterial infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus.