AMPK—activating heterocyclic compounds and methods for using the same

1. A method for treating a disease or disorder selected from the group consisting of type II diabetes, atherosclerosis, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diseases and disorders linked to elevated ceramide levels in a subject, diseases and disorders in which cell proliferation is deficient or desired in a subject, disorders of aging, disorders of mitochondrial function, muscular dystrophic states, neurological disorders associated with reduced mitochondrial function, oxidative stress or both, hypoxic states, angina pectoris, coronary ischemia and organ damage secondary to coronary vessel occlusion, intermittent claudication, multi-infarct dementia, myocardial infarction, stroke, high altitude sickness and heart failure, including congestive heart failure ischemia, ischemic reperfusion injury, myocardial ischemia or infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, operative ischemia, traumatic hemorrhage, resuscitation injury, spinal cord trauma, inflammatory diseases, Down's syndrome, Hallervorden-Spatz disease, Huntingtons chorea, Wilson's disease, diabetic angiopathy, uveitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, neoplasia, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis and age-related disorders, or for activating the AMPK pathway, up-regulating ceramidase activity, reducing triglyceride levels, increasing insulin sensitivity, increasing metabolic efficiency, increasing fiber oxidative capacity, increasing endurance, increasing aerobic workload, reducing oxidative stress, reducing free radical damage, reducing organ inflammation, mimicking the effects of exercise, retarding cellular responses associated with the activation of the ceramide-mediated signal transduction pathway, reducing the effect of aging on the skin, treating radiation and dermatitis in the skin in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound having the structural formula

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt- or N-oxide thereof, wherein

R 1 is H, —(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), —C(O)—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl) or —C(O)O—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl);

G is —CH 2 —, —C(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —CH(CH 3 )—, —C(CH 3 ) 2 —, —O—, —C(O)—NH—, —C(O)—NH—CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —, a single bond, —OCH 2 —, CH 2 CH 2 O—, —CH(COOMe)- or —CH(COOEt)-;

R 17 is aryl or heteroaryl, optionally substituted with 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from —(C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —N 3 , —SF 5 , —NO 2 and —CN;

each R 3 is independently selected from —(C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN;

w is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

each R 4 is independently selected from —(C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN, and two R 4 on the same carbon optionally combine to form oxo, and two R 4 on different carbons optionally combine to form a —(C 0 -C 4 alkylene)- bridge;

x is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

J is absent, —C(O)—, —NR 13 —, —NR 13 C(O)— or —C(O)NR 13 —, in which R 13 is selected from —H, —(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), —C(O)—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl) and —C(O)O—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl);

the ring system denoted by “B” is absent, arylene, heteroarylene

wherein each of Y 1 and Y 2 is N, C or CH, provided that at least one of Y 1 and Y 2 is N; p is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, q is 1, 2, 3 or 4, and the sum of p and q is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, or

wherein Y 1 is N or C and Y 2 is N, C or CH, provided that at least one of Y 1 and Y 2 is N, the ring system denoted by “C” is an arylene or a heteroarylene, p is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, q is 1, 2, 3 or 4, and the sum of p and q is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6;

Q is a single bond, —CH 2 —, —CH 2 O—, —OCH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —, —O—, —CHF—, —CH(CH 3 )—, —C(CH 3 ) 2 —, —CH(OH)—, —CH(COOMe)-, —CH(COOEt)-, —C(O)— or —S(O) 2 —;

the ring system denoted by “A” is heteroaryl or aryl;

each R 5 is independently selected from —(C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —N 3 , —SF 5 , —NO 2 and —CN; and

y is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

in which

each L is independently selected from —NR 9 C(O)O—, —OC(O)NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(O)—NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(O)S—, —SC(O)NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(O)—, —C(O)—NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(S)O—, —OC(S)NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(S)—NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(S)S—, —SC(S)NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(S)—, —C(S)NR 9 —, —SC(O)NR 9 —, —NR 9 C(S)—, —S(O) 0-2 —, —C(O)O, —OC(O)—, —C(S)O—, —OC(S)—, —C(O)S—, —SC(O)—, —C(S)S—, —SC(S)—, —OC(O)O—, —SC(O)O—, —OC(O)S—, —SC(S)O—, —OC(S)S—, —NR 9 C(NR 2 )NR 9 —, —NR 9 SO 2 —, —SO 2 NR 9 — and —NR 9 SO 2 NR 9 —,

each R 7 , R 8 and R 10 is independently selected from H, —(C 1 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 2 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-L-(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-NR 9 (C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-O—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-C(O)—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl) and —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), and

each R 9 is independently selected from —H, —(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), —C(O)—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl) and —C(O)O—(C 1 -C 4 alkyl).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein x is 0.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring system denoted by “B” is arylene or heteroarylene.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring system denoted by “B” is

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein R 17 is aryl optionally substituted with 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from —(C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 6 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —N 3 , —SF 5 , —NO 2 and —CN.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein J is —NR 13 — or —NR 13 C(O)—.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein J is —C(O)NR 13 — or —C(O)—.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound has the structural formula

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound has the structural formula

in which J is absent, —NR 13 —, —NR 13 C(O)— or —C(O)NR 13 —.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the

moiety is

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the

moiety is

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the

moiety is

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the

moiety is

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the

moiety is

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein

each R 3 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN, and two R4 optionally combine to form oxo;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —N 3 , —SF 5 , —NO 2 and —CN,

R 17 is aryl or heteroaryl, optionally substituted 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen —NO 2 and —CN,

wherein each R 7 , R 8 and R 10 is independently selected from H, —(C 1 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 2 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-L-(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-NR 9 (C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-O—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-C(O)—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl) and —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl).

16. The method according claim 15 , wherein R 17 is phenyl substituted with 0, 1 or 2 R 30 , and the

moiety is phenyl substituted with 0, 1 or 2 R 30 ,

wherein each R 30 is independently selected from halogen, unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 alkoxy), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy), —SH, —S(unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —S(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —OH, —CN, —NO 2 , —NH 2 , —NH(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl), —N(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl) 2 , —N 3 , —SF 5 , —C(O)—NH 2 , C(O)NH(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl), C(O)N(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl) 2 , —C(O)OH, C(O)O(unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(NH) 0-1 SO 2 R 33 and —(NH) 0-1 COR 33 , in which each R 33 is (unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl) or (C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl).

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein J is —C(O)—.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the

moiety has the structural formula

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the

moiety has the structural formula

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound has structural formula

21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound has structural formula

22. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

each R 3 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN, and two R4 optionally combine to form oxo;

each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —N 3 , —SF 5 , —NO 2 and —CN,

R 17 is aryl or heteroaryl, optionally substituted 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from —(C 1 -C 3 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 3 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-L-R 7 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-NR 8 R 9 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-OR 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-C(O)R 10 , —(C 0 -C 3 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 R 10 , -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN,

wherein each R 7 , R 8 and R 10 is independently selected from H, —(C 1 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 1 -C 2 haloalkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-L-(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-NR 9 (C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-O—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl), —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-C(O)—(C 0 -C 2 alkyl) and —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl)-S(O) 0-2 —(C 0 -C 2 alkyl).

23. The method according to claim 1 , wherein w is 0.

24. The method according to claim 1 , wherein x is 0 and w is 0.

25. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

G is —CH 2 —, —C(O)—, or —S(O) 2 —;

R 17 is phenyl or monocyclic heteroaryl substituted with 0, 1 or 2 R 30 ;

each R 3 is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, trifluoromethyl, pentafluoroethyl, acetyl, —NH 2 , —OH, methoxy, ethoxy, trifluoromethoxy, —SO 2 Me, -halogen, —NO 2 and —CN;

w is 0 or 1;

J is absent, —C(O)—, —NH—, —NHC(O)— or —C(O)NH—;

the ring system denoted by “B” is

wherein each of Y 1 and Y 2 is N, C or CH, provided that at least one of Y 1 and Y 2 is N;

T is

 wherein

Q is a single bond, —CH 2 —, —O—, —C(O)— or —S(O) 2 —;

the ring system denoted by “A” is phenyl or monocyclic heteroaryl; and

y is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

in which

each R 30 is independently selected from halogen, unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6 alkoxy), —(C 1 -C 6 haloalkoxy), —SH, —S(unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —S(C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl), —OH, —CN, —NO 2 , —NH 2 , —NH(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl), —N(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl) 2 , —N 3 , —SF 5 , —C(O)—NH 2 , C(O)NH(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl), C(O)N(unsubstituted C 1 -C 4 alkyl) 2 , —C(O)OH, C(O)O(unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl), —(NH) 0-1 SO 2 R 33 and —(NH) 0-1 COR 33 , in which each R 33 is (unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl) or (C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl).

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein w is 0.

27. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating type II diabetes, treating atherosclerosis, treating obesity, treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, reducing triglyceride levels or increasing insulin sensitivity in the subject.

28. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is for activating the AMPK pathway in the subject.

29. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating a disease or disorder in which cell proliferation is deficient or desired in a subject.

30. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is for treating intermittent claudication in a subject.