Macrocyclic compounds and methods for their production

1. A compound of formula (I):

wherein:

the moiety X 1 represents —OR 1 ,—NR 1 R 2 or R 3 ;

R 1 , R 2 and R 3 independently represent alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkylcycloalkyl, alkylcycloalkenyl, alkenylcycloalkyl, alkenylcycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, alkylheteroaryl, alkenylaryl or alkenylheteroaryl any of which groups may optionally be substituted by monocyclic aryl or monocyclic heteroaryl;

and wherein one or more carbon atoms of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 not being part of an aryl or heteroaryl group are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O) p in which p represents 0, 1 or 2 and wherein one or more carbon atoms of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are optionally replaced by carbonyl;

or R 1 and R 2 are linked such that _NR 1 R 2 represents a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing the specified nitrogen atom and wherein one or more carbon atoms of said ring are optionally replaced by a further heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O) p in which p represents 0, 1 or 2 and wherein one or more carbon atoms of said ring are optionally replaced by carbonyl and which heterocyclic ring may optionally be fused to an aryl or heteroaryl ring;

and wherein one or more carbon atoms of an R 1 , R 2 and R 3 group may optionally be substituted by one or more halogen atoms;

or R 1 and/or R 2 represents hydrogen;

R 9 represents H or OH;

n represents a single or double bond, save that when n represents a double bond R 9 represents H;

R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 independently represent H, F, Cl, Br, alkenyl or alkyl wherein one or more carbon atoms of said alkyl group are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O) p in which p represents 0, 1 or 2 and wherein one or more carbon atoms of said alkyl group are optionally replaced by carbonyl and which alkyl group may optionally be substituted by one or more halogen atoms;

X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 and X 6 independently represent C or N, and in the case of any of these groups representing N the attached substituent is absent;

with the proviso that where R 4 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 all represent H and X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 and X 6 all represent C, then R 5 cannot represent —OH, —Oalkyl or —O(CO)alkyl;

including any tautomer thereof; and including a methanol adduct thereof in which a ketal is formed by the combination of the C-53 keto and the C-15 hydroxyl group and methanol;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein n represents a single bond.

3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 9 represents OH.

4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 2 represents C.

5. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 3 represents C.

6. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 4 represents C.

7. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 5 represents C.

8. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 6 represents C.

9. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 4 represents H.

10. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 8 represents H.

11. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 5 represents OH.

12. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 6 represents H, Me or F.

13. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 7 represents H or F.

14. A compound according to claim 1 wherein R 6 and/Or R 7 represents F.

15. A compound according to claim 1 wherein X 1 — represents NR 1 R 2 .

16. A compound according to claim 15 wherein R 1 represents alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkylcycloalkyl, alkylcycloalkenyl, alkenylcycloalkyl, alkenylcycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkylaryl, alkylheteroaryl, alkenylaryl or alkenylheteroaryl and R 2 represents H, alkyl, alkenyl or —Oalkyl.

17. A compound according to claim 15 wherein NR 1 R 2 represents morpholinyl, oxazinane or one of the groups disclosed in the following table:

18. A compound according to claim 1 selected from:

including any tautomer thereof; or an isomer thereof in which the C26, 27 C═C bond shown as trans is cis; and including a methanol adduct thereof in which a ketal is formed by the combination of the C-53 keto, if present, and the C-15 hydroxyl group and methanol;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

19. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.

20. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 together with a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier further comprising a second or additional active ingredient.

21. A method of treatment of an HCV or HIV infection or for use as an immunosuppressant or an anti-inflammatory agent which comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 .

22. A process for preparing a compound according to claim 1 which comprises reacting a compound of formula V

wherein X 1 is as defined in claim 1 and each R 11 is independently C 1-4 alkyl or benzyl;

with an aldehydic macrocyle (compound of formula VI):

wherein X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 6 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and n are as defined in claim 1 .

23. A compound of formula (VI):

wherein:

R 9 represents H or OH;

R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 independently represent H, F, Cl, Br, alkenyl or alkyl wherein one or more carbon atoms of said alkyl group are optionally replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, N and S(O) p in which p represents 0, 1 or 2 and wherein one or more carbon atoms of said alkyl group are optionally replaced by carbonyl and which alkyl group may optionally be substituted by one or more halogen atoms;

X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 and X 6 independently represent C or N, and in the case of any of these groups representing N the attached substituent is absent;

with the proviso that where R 4 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 all represent H and X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 and X 6 all represent C, then R 5 cannot represent —OH, —Oalkyl or —O(CO)alkyl.