Heteroaryl substituted compounds as RORγ inhibitors

1. A compound of Formula IV or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof:

wherein R 1 is a-6 membered heteroaryl substituted with two substituents selected from the group consisting of: i) F and methyl, ii) CN and methyl, and iii) Cl and methyl;

R 2 is C 1 -C 3 alkyl or halo;

R 3 is halo or CN;

R 4 is H;

R 5 is C 1 -C 3 alkyl;

R 6 is H or methyl; and

R 7 is selected from the group consisting of:

C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with methyl;

methyl substituted with C 3 -C 5 cycloalkyl; and

C 2 -C 3 alkyl optionally substituted with two F.

2. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is pyridinyl substituted with i) F and methyl, or ii) CN and methyl.

3. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 is methyl.

4. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 is Cl or F.

5. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 5 is methyl.

6. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 6 is H.

7. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to claim 1 , wherein R 7 is methyl substituted with cyclopropyl.

8. The compound according to claim 1 , which is (S)—N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-5-fluoro-6-methylnicotinamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent thereof.

10. A method of treating an inflammatory or autoimmune disease mediated by RORγ, which comprises administering to a human in need thereof, an effective amount of a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 wherein the inflammatory or autoimmune disease mediated by RORγ disease is psoriasis.

11. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 8 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent thereof.

12. The compound according to claim 1 , which is

(S)—N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(cyclopentanecarbonyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-5-cyano-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)-5-chloro-N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)—N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-5-cyano-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)-5-chloro-N-(5-cyano-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)-5-chloro-N-(3-((4-(2,2-difluorobutanoyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-5-fluoro-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)—N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-6-cyano-5-methylnicotinamide

(S)-5-chloro-N-(5-fluoro-3-((4-isobutyryl-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)—N-(3-((4-butyryl-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-5-fluoro-2-methylphenyl)-5-chloro-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)-5-chloro-N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(cyclopropanecarbonyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)—N-(5-cyano-3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-5-fluoro-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)—N-(3-((4-butyryl-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-5-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-5-fluoro-6-methylnicotinamide;

(S)-5-chloro-N-(3-((4-(2-cyclopropylacetyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-5-fluoro-2-methylphenyl)-6-methylnicotinamide; and

(S)—N-(5-chloro-3-((4-(2,2-difluorobutanoyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)-2-methylphenyl)-5-fluoro-6-methylnicotinamide;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 12 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent thereof.