Benzene, pyridine, and pyridazine derivatives

1. A compound of the formula

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

R 1 and R 2 are independently H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

R 4 is hydrogen;

R 3 is

(a) halo, or

(b) a C 1 -C 15 alkyl group where up to six of the carbon atoms in said alkyl group are optionally replaced independently by R 22 , carbonyl, ethenyl, ethynyl or a moiety selected from N, O, S, SO 2 , or SO, with the proviso that two O atoms, two S atoms, or an O and S atom are not immediately adjacent each other, wherein

R 22 is

(i) heteroaryl,

(ii) aryl,

(iii) saturated or unsaturated C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, or

(iv) saturated or unsaturated C 2 -C 10 heterocycloalkyl, wherein each aryl, heteroaryl, saturated or unsaturated cycloalkyl, or saturated or unsaturated heterocycloalkyl, independently, is optionally substituted with at least one group, which independently is hydroxy, halo, amino, cyano, carboxy, carboxamido, nitro, oxo, —S—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 -aryl, —SO—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO-aryl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH-aryl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, or mono- or di-(C 1 -C 10 )alkylamino; and

each R 22 is optionally fused to a C 6 -C 10 aryl group, C 5 -C 8 saturated cyclic group, or a C 5 -C 10 heterocycloalkyl group;

wherein each (b) is optionally substituted at any available position with C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxamido, oxo, halo, amino, cyano, nitro, —SH, —S—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH-aryl, —SO 2 -aryl, —SO—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 2 -C 10 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 10 alkynyloxy, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 10 )alkylamino, —OC 1 -C 10 alkyl-Z, or R 23 , wherein

Z is OR 0 or —N(R 30 ) 2 , wherein

each R 30 is independently H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or N(R 30 ) 2 represents pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, azepanyl, 1,3- or 1,4-diazepanyl, or morpholinyl, each of which is optionally substituted with hydroxy, amino, aminoalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, mono- or di(C 1 -C 6 )alkylamino, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or halogen;

R O is H, —C 1 -C 10 alkyl, —C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, —C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or —C 1 -C 6 acyl;

R 23 is

(1) heteroaryl,

(2) aryl,

(3) saturated or unsaturated C 5 -C 10 cycloalkyl, or

(4) saturated or unsaturated C 5 -C 10 heterocycloalkyl, and

the R 23 groups are optionally substituted with at least one group which independently is hydroxy, oxo, halo, amino, cyano, nitro, —SH, —S—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 -aryl, —SO—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO-aryl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH-aryl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, or mono- or di-(C 1 -C 10 )alkylamino;

R C is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, —C(O)R C′ , C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl(C 1 -C 10 )alkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein

each alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, and heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with from 1-4 groups that are independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino, cyano, nitro, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, carboxamide, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein

the aryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted with from 1-4 groups that are independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, or carboxamide;

R C′ is —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —OR C″ , or —N(R CN ) 2 , wherein

R C″ is —H, C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl;

each R CN is independently —H, —C 1 -C 10 alkyl, —C 1 -C 10 -haloalkyl, —C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, -heterocycloalkyl, —C 1 -C 6 acyl, -aryl, or -heteroaryl, wherein

each alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with from 1-4 groups that are independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino, nitro, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, or carboxamide;

R 5 and R 6 are independently H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or aryl, wherein the aryl is optionally substituted with from 1-4 groups that are independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, halogen, hydroxy, amino, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 6 ) alkylamino, nitro, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, halo(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, or carboxamide,

wherein any two adjacent substituted aryl positions, together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached, form an unsaturated cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl; or

R 5 and R 6 together with the carbon to which they are attached form a 3-8 membered ring.

2. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein

R 3 is halo, or —Z 1 R Z1 , wherein

Z 1 is —O— or —NH—;

R Z1 is a C 1 -C 14 alkyl group where up to five of the carbon atoms in the alkyl group are optionally replaced independently by R 22 , carbonyl, ethenyl, ethynyl or a moiety selected from N, O, S, SO 2 , or SO, with the proviso that two O atoms, two S atoms, or an O and S atom are not immediately adjacent each other,

wherein R Z1 is optionally substituted at any available position with C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxamido, oxo, halo, amino, cyano, nitro, —SH, —S—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH-aryl, —SO 2 -aryl, —SO—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 2 -C 10 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 10 alkynyloxy, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 10 )alkylamino, —OC 1 -C 10 alkyl-Z, or R 23 .

3. A compound according to claim 1 , wherein

R 4 is H; and

R 3 is —N(H)R Z1 , wherein

R Z1 is a C 1 -C 14 alkyl group where up to five of the carbon atoms in the alkyl group are optionally replaced independently by R 22 , carbonyl, ethenyl, ethynyl or a moiety selected from N, O, S, SO 2 , or SO, with the proviso that two O atoms, two S atoms, or an O and S atom are not immediately adjacent each other,

wherein R Z1 is optionally substituted at any available position with C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 1 -C 10 haloalkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, hydroxy, carboxy, carboxamido, oxo, halo, amino, cyano, nitro, —SH, —S—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —SO 2 NH-aryl, —SO 2 -aryl, —SO—(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 2 -C 10 alkenyloxy, C 2 -C 10 alkynyloxy, mono- or di-(C 1 -C 10 )alkylamino, —OC 1 -C 10 alkyl-Z, or R 23 .

4. A compound according to claim 3 , wherein

R C is methyl, ethyl, cyclopropyl, cyclopropylmethyl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, or trifluoromethyl.

5. A compound according to claim 1 which is

4-[6,6-dimethyl-4-oxo-3-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indazol-1-yl]-2-[(4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino]benzamide;

4-({2-(aminocarbonyl)-5-[6,6-dimethyl-4-oxo-3-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indazol-1-yl]phenyl}amino)cyclohexyl glycinate;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound or salt according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent, carrier, excipient, adjuvant or a combination thereof.

7. A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound or salt according to claim 5 and a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent, carrier, excipient, adjuvant or a combination thereof.

8. A compound according to claim 1 which is

4-[6,6-dimethyl-4-oxo-3-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indazol-1-yl]-2-[(trans-4-hydroxycyclohexyl)amino]benzamide;

Trans-4-({2-(am inocarbonyl)-5-[6,6-dimethyl-4-oxo-3-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indazol-1-yl]phenyl}amino)cyclohexyl glycinate; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound or salt according to claim 8 and a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent, carrier, excipient, adjuvant or a combination thereof.