Imidazo[4,5-c] ring compounds containing substituted guanidine groups

1. A compound of the Formula (I):

wherein:

R 3 and R 4 are taken together to form a fused benzene ring, a fused pyridine ring, a fused cyclohexene ring, or a fused tetrahydropyridine ring; wherein the fused benzene ring, fused pyridine ring, fused cyclohexene ring, or fused tetrahydropyridine ring is either unsubstituted or substituted by one or more R groups;

R is selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, —C(O)—O-alkyl, —C(O)—O—CH 2 Ph, —C(O)—O-aryl, amino, alkylamino, and dialkylamino aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, arylalkyleneoxy, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkyenyl, heteroarylalkyleneoxy, and heteroaryloxy, wherein the alkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, arylalkyleneoxy, aryloxy, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkyenyl, heteroaryalkyleneoxy, and heteroaryloxy groups can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, arylalkyleneoxy, and nitrile;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of —W—X—N(R 7 )—C(═N—R 5 )—N(H)R 6 , —W—Z—N(R 7 )—C(═N—R 5 )—N(H)R 6 , and

W is selected from the group consisting of a covalent bond, —O—, and NH—;

X is selected from the group consisting of alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene, wherein any of the alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene groups can be optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups;

Z is selected from the group consisting of

—X-arylene-X—,

—X-heteroarylene-X—,

—X-arylene-, and

—X-heteroarylene-;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, —O-alkyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, alkylaminoalkylenyl, hydroxyl, —CH 2 —NH—O-alkyl, and —CH 2 NHC(O)-alkyl;

R 7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, arylalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, benzyloxyalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and cycloalkylalkylenyl; wherein any of the alkyl, arylalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, benzyloxyalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and cycloalkylalkylenyl groups can be either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitrile;

R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —C(O)—O-alkyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, cycloalkylalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and benzyloxyalkylenyl; wherein any of the alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, cycloalkylalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and benzyloxyalkylenyl groups can be either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxy, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, nitrile, aryl, heteroaryl, and dialkylamino; with the proviso that R 5 and R 6 are not both hydrogen;

Q is selected from the group consisting of a covalent bond, —CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 —O—CH 2 —, and —OCH 2 —;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein R 7 is hydrogen.

3. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein W is a covalent bond or —O—.

4. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein X is alkylene optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups.

5. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein Z is —C 1-5 alkylene-arylene-C 1-5 alkylene- or —C 1-5 alkylene-heteroarylene-C 1-5 alkylene-.

6. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, alkylaminoalkylenyl, and hydroxyalkylenyl.

7. The compound or salt of claim 1 , wherein R 5 and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl, and phenylalkylenyl, and wherein R 5 and R 6 are not both hydrogen.

8. A compound of the Formula XIII:

wherein:

R 1B is selected from the group consisting of —X B —N(R 7B )—C(═N—R 5B )—N(H)R 6B , and —Z B —N(R 7B )—C(═N—R 5B )—N(H)R 6B , and

X B is selected from the group consisting of alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene, wherein the alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene groups can be optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups;

Z B is selected from the group consisting of

—X B -arylene-X B —,

—X B -heteroarylene-X B —,

—X B -arylene-, and

—X B -heteroarylene-;

R 2B is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, —O-alkyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, alkylaminoalkylenyl, hydroxyl, —CH 2 —NH—O-alkyl, and —CH 2 NHC(O)-alkyl;

R 7B is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, arylalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, benzyloxyalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and cycloalkylalkylenyl; wherein any of the alkyl, arylalkylenyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, benzyloxyalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and cycloalkylalkylenyl groups can be either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, and nitrile;

R 5B and R 6B are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —C(O)—O-alkyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, cycloalkylalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and benzyloxyalkylenyl; wherein any of the, cycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, cycloalkylalkylenyl, aryl-(CH 2 ) 2-6 —O-alkylenyl, and benzyloxyalkylenyl groups can be either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxy, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, nitrile, aryl, heteroaryl, and dialkylamino; with the proviso that R 5B and R 6B are not both hydrogen;

QB is selected from the group consisting of a covalent bond, —CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 —O—CH 2 —, and —OCH 2 —;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

9. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 7B is hydrogen.

10. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein X B is alkylene optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups.

11. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein X B is selected from the group consisting of CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 C(CH 3 ) 2 —, —CH 2 C(CH 3 ) 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —O—CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH 2 CH 2 —O—CH 2 CH 2 —O—CH 2 CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2-4 —(OCH 2 CH 2 -) 1-5 , and —(CH 2 ) 2-6 —(OCH 2 CH 2 -) 1-4 .

12. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein Z B is —C 1-5 alkylene-arylene-C 1-5 alkylene- or —C 1-5 alkylene-heteroarylene-C 1-5 alkylene-.

13. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein Z B is —CH 2 -phenylene-CH 2 —.

14. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 2B is selected from the group consisting hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, alkylaminoalkylenyl, and hydroxyalkylenyl.

15. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 2B is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —CH 3 , —CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 , —CH 2 OCH 3 , —CH 2 OCH 2 CH 3 , and —CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 .

16. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 5B and R 6B are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl, phenylalkylenyl; and wherein R 5B and R 6B are not both hydrogen.

17. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 5B and R 6B are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, phenyl, and phenylalkylenyl.

18. The compound or salt of claim 8 , wherein R 5B is alkyl and R 6B is alkyl.

19. A method of inducing biosynthesis of IFN-alpha in an animal comprising administering an effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 to the animal.

20. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound or salt of claim 1 in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.