Potent and selective inhibitors of hepatitis C virus

1. A compound having the formula:

wherein:

R 3 is

each m is independently 0, 1, or 2;

each s is independently 1, 2, or 3;

each X is independently selected from the group consisting of O, S, S(O), SO 2 , CH 2 , CHR 5 , and C(R 5 ) 2 ; provided that when m is 0, X is selected from CH 2 , CHR 5 , and C(R 5 ) 2 ;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of 5-membered heteroaryl, halo substituted 5-membered heteroaryl, thioalkyl, thioaryl, SCH 3 , SCF 3 , sulfoxide alkyl, sulfoxide aryl, S(O)CH 3 , S(O)CF 3 , sulfone alkyl, sulfone aryl, S(O) 2 CH 3 , S(O) 2 CF 3 , haloalkyl, CF 3 , N 3 , and CN, with the proviso —C(R 5 ) 2 can be —C(O),

wherein at least one R 5 is present and is SCH 3 , S(O)CH 3 , or S(O) 2 CH 3 ,

each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of —C(O)—, —C(S)— and —C(NR z )—;

each R 10 and R 11 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkylcarboxy amino, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, alkylamino, alkylguanasyl, alkylaryl, aryl, arylalkenyl, arylalkoxy, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloakylamino, (cycloalkyl)alkenyl, (cycloalkyl)alkyl, cycloalkyloxyalkyl, haloalkyl, alkylheterocyclyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkenyl, heterocyclylalkoxy, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclyloxyalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl, wherein the groups can be substituted with one or more substituents as defined above;

each R 12 and R 16 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, R 13 —C(O)—, R 13 —C(S)—, and R′; wherein each R′ is independently H, a C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 2-6 alkenyl, C 2-6 alkynyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, or if two R′ reside on the same nitrogen atom, they can come together to form a C 3-6 alkyl ring containing none or one heteroatom independently selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S; wherein the R′ groups can be substituted with one or more hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, and alkoxyalkyl substituents;

each R 13 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonylalkyl, aryl, arylalkenyl, arylalkoxy, arylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, (cycloalkyl)alkenyl, (cycloalkyl)alkyl, cycloalkyloxyalkyl, haloalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkenyl, heterocyclylalkoxy, heterocyclylalkyl, heterocyclyloxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and —N(R′) 2 , wherein each R′ is as defined above;

R 14 and R 14′ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF 3 , hydroxy, alkoxy (C 1-6 ), aryl, 5-membered heteroaryl, lower alkyl (C 1-6 ) or halo substituted aryl, aryl or halo substituted 5-membered heteroaryl, cyano, alkynyl (C 2-6 ), alkoxyalkyl (C 3-6 ), alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, arylalkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, haloalkyl, heterocyclylalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl; and

R 15 and R 15′ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxy (C 2-6 ), alkoxyalkyl (C 3-6 ), alkoxycarbonyl, carbonylalkyl, carbonyl aryl, alkyl, heterocyclylalkyl, and hydroxyalkyl (C 2-6 ), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof,

wherein the compounds can be in the form of the R- or S-configuration, or a mixture thereof, including a racemic or diastereomeric mixture thereof.

2. A compound selected from the group consisting of:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof,

wherein the compounds can be in the form of the R- or S-configuration, or a mixture thereof, including a racemic or diastereomeric mixture thereof.

3. A composition comprising a compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

4. The composition of claim 3 , further comprising one, two, or three additional compounds having anti-HCV activity.

5. A method for treating a host infected with HCV, comprising administering an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 to a patient in need of treatment thereof.

6. A method for treating a host infected with HCV that includes administering an effective amount of a compound of claim 1 in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in combination with one, two, or three other anti-HCV agent(s).