Benzylaminopyridylcyclopropanecarboxylic acids, pharmaceutical compositions and uses thereof

1. A compound of formula (I)

wherein

R is selected from the group consisting of

H, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, NC—, HNR N —C(═O)—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-NR N —C(═O)—, heterocyclyl-NR N —C(═O)—, heteroaryl-NR N —C(═O)—, HOOC—, C 1-4 -alkyl-O—C(═O)—, O 2 N—, HR N N—, C 1-4 -alkyl-R N N—, C 1-4 -alkyl-C(═O)NR N —, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-C(═O)NR N —, heterocyclyl-C(═O)NR N —, heteroaryl-C(═O)NR N —, C 1-4 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 NR N —, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-S(═O) 2 NR N —, heterocyclyl-S(═O) 2 NR N —, heteroaryl-S(═O) 2 NR N —, HO—, C 1-6 -alkyl-O—, HOOC—C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, heterocyclyl-C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, phenyl-C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-O—, heterocyclyl-O—, heteroaryl-O—, C 1-4 -alkyl-S—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-S—, heterocyclyl-S—, C 1-4 -alkyl-S(═O)—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-S(═O)—, heterocyclyl-S(═O)—, C 1-4 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 —, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-S(═O) 2 —, heterocyclyl-S(═O) 2 —, phenyl-S(═O) 2 —, heteroaryl-S(═O) 2 —, HNR N —S(═O) 2 —, C 1-4 -alkyl-NR N —S(═O) 2 —, heterocyclyl, phenyl, and heteroaryl,

wherein each alkyl, cycloalkyl, and heterocyclyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms and optionally substituted with 1 to 3 groups independently selected from Cl, C 1-3 -alkyl, NC—, (R N ) 2 N—, HO—, C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, and C 1-3 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 —; and

wherein each phenyl and heteroaryl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is optionally substituted with 1 to 5 substituents independently selected from F, Cl, C 1-3 -alkyl, HF 2 C—, F 3 C—, NC—, (R N ) 2 N—, HO—, C 1-3 -alkyl-O—, F 3 C—O—, and C 1-3 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 —;

wherein each heterocyclyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is selected from

a cyclobutyl group wherein 1 CH 2 group is replaced by —NR N — or —O—;

a C 5-6 -cycloalkyl group wherein 1 CH 2 group is replaced by —C(═O)—, —NR N —, —O—, —S— or —S(═O) 2 — and/or 1 CH group is replaced by N;

a C 5-6 -cycloalkyl group wherein 1 CH 2 group is replaced by —NR N — or —O—, a second CH 2 group is replaced by —NR N —, —C(═O)— or —S(═O) 2 — and/or 1 CH group is replaced by N; and

a C 5-6 -cycloalkyl group wherein 2 CH 2 groups are replaced by —NR N — or 1 CH 2 group by —NR N — and the other by —O— and a third CH 2 group is replaced by —C(═O)— or —S(═O) 2 — and/or 1 CH group is replaced by N;

wherein each heteroaryl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is selected from tetrazolyl and a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring which contains 1, 2, or 3 heteroatoms independently of each other selected from ═N—, —NR N —, —O—, and —S—, wherein in heteroaromatic groups containing a —HC═N— unit this group is optionally replaced by —NR N —C(═O)—;

wherein in heteroaryl and heterocyclyl rings with one or more NH groups, each of said NH groups is replaced by NR N ;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-, HO—C 1-4 -alkyl, C 1-4 -alkyl-O—C 1-4 -alkyl, NC—, HO—, C 1-4 -alkyl-O—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-O—, C 1-4 -alkyl-S—, C 1-4 -alkyl-S(O)—, and C 1-4 -alkyl-S(O) 2 —,

wherein any alkyl and cycloalkyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R 1 is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms, and wherein multiple R 1 may be identical or different if m is 2, 3 or 4;

m is an integer selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, C 1-4 -alkyl, NC—, and C 1-4 -alkyloxy, wherein any alkyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R 2 is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms, and wherein multiple R 2 may be identical or different if n is 2 or 3;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, C 1-4 -alkyl, NC—, and C 1-4 -alkyl-O—, wherein each alkyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R 3 is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms;

n is an integer selected from 1, 2, and 3;

R N is independently of each other selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-4 -alkyl, HO—C 1-4 -alkyl-(H 2 C)—, C 1-3 -alkyl-O—C 1-4 -alkyl-, C 1-4 -alkyl-C(═O)—, C 1-4 -alkyl-NH—C(═O)—, C 1-4 -alkyl-N(C 1-4 )—C(═)—, C 1-4 -alkyl-O—C(═O)—, and C 1-4 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 —,

wherein each alkyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R N is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms;

wherein in any definition mentioned hereinbefore, if not specified otherwise, any alkyl group or sub-group may be straight-chained or branched,

or a salt thereof.

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein

R is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, C 1-4 -alkyl, NC—, H 2 N—C(═O)—, C 1-3 -alkyl-NR N —C(═O)—, HOOC—, H 2 N—, C 1-3 -alkyl-C(═O)NR N —, C 1-4 -alkyl-S(═O) 2 NR N —, HO—, C 1-5 -alkyl-O—, HOOC—CH 2 —O—, C 3 -cycloalkyl-H 2 C—O—, heterocyclyl-CH 2 —O—, phenyl-CH 2 —O—, C 3-6 -cycloalkyl-O—, heterocyclyl-O—, heteroaryl-O—, heterocyclyl-S(═O) 2 —, heterocyclyl, and heteroaryl,

wherein each alkyl, cycloalkyl, and heterocyclyl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is optionally substituted with 1 or more F atoms and optionally substituted with 1 group selected from Cl, H 3 C—, NC—, R N HN—, HO—, H 3 C—O—, and H 3 C—S(═O) 2 —;

wherein each heteroaryl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is optionally substituted with 1 to 2 substituents independently selected from F, Cl, H 3 C—, F 3 C—, NC—, (R N ) 2 N—, HO—, H 3 C—O—, F 3 C—O—, and H 3 C—S(═O) 2 —;

wherein each heterocyclyl or sub-group within the groups forming R is selected from

a cyclobutyl group wherein 1 CH 2 group is replaced by —NR N — or —O—;

a C 5-6 -cycloalkyl group wherein 1 CH 2 group is replaced by —C(═O)—, —NR N —, —O—, —S— or —S(═O) 2 — and/or 1 CH group is replaced by N;

wherein each heteroaryl group or sub-group within the groups forming R is selected from tetrazolyl, a 5-membered heteroaromatic ring which contains 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms independently of each other selected from ═N—, —NH—, O and S, and a 6-membered heteroaromatic ring which contains 1 or 2 ═N— atoms, wherein a —HC═N— unit is optionally replaced by —NH—C(═O)—;

and wherein in each heteroaryl and heterocyclyl group or sub-group mentioned before containing one or more NH, said NH group(s) is/are replaced by NR N ;

or a salt thereof.

3. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, Cl, C 1-3 -alkyl optionally substituted with 1 or more F;

H 3 C—O— optionally monosubstituted with C 1-4 -alkyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, or tetrahydropyranyl,

wherein the C 1-4 -alkyl group optionally attached to H 3 C—O— is optionally monosubstituted with HO— or H 3 C—S(═O) 2 —;

tetrahydrofuranyl-O— and tetrahydropyranyl-O—; and

a heteroaryl group selected from pyrazolyl, oxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, tetrazolyl, pyridyl, pyridin-2-onyl, pyrazinyl, and pyrimidinyl,

wherein each of said heteroaryl groups is optionally monosubstituted with H 3 C— or H 3 C—O—, and

wherein each H—N group in said heteroaryl groups is optionally replaced with H 3 C—N or (H 3 C) 2 C(OH)—H 2 C—N;

or a salt thereof.

4. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein

R 1 is H, F, Cl, H 3 C—, H 3 C—H 2 C—, (H 3 C) 2 HC—, F 3 C—, NC—, or H 3 C—O—;

m is 2;

R 2 is H, F, or F 3 C—;

n is 2; and

R 3 is H;

or a salt thereof.

5. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is H or H 3 C—; or a salt thereof.

6. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, Cl, C 1-3 -alkyl optionally substituted with 1 or more F;

H 3 C—O— optionally monosubstituted with C 1-4 alkyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, or tetrahydropyranyl,

wherein the C 1-4 -alkyl group optionally attached to H 3 C—O— is optionally monosubstituted with HO— or H 3 C—S(═O) 2 —;

tetrahydrofuranyl-O— and tetrahydropyranyl-O—; and

a heteroaryl group selected from pyrazolyl, oxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, tetrazolyl, pyridyl, pyridin-2-onyl, pyrazinyl, and pyrimidinyl,

wherein each of said heteroaryl groups is optionally monosubstituted with H 3 C— or H 3 C—O—, and

wherein each H—N group in said heteroaryl groups is optionally replaced with H 3 C—N or (H 3 C) 2 C(OH)—H 2 C—N;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, H 3 C—, H 3 C—H 2 C—, (H 3 C) 2 HC—, F 3 C—, NC—, and H 3 C—O—;

m is 2;

R 2 is H, F, or F 3 C—;

n is 2; and

R 3 is H;

or a salt thereof.

7. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R is selected from the group consisting of

H, Cl, H 3 C—H 2 C—, (H 3 C) 2 CH—, F 3 C—, H 3 C—O—,

wherein the asterisk (-*) indicates the site/point of attachment;

R 1 is H or H 3 C—;

m is 2;

R 2 is H, F, or F 3 C—;

n is 2; and

R 3 is H;

or a salt thereof.

8. The compound according to claim 1 , with the structure and stereochemistry shown in formulae I.1, I.2, I.3, I.4, I.5, or I.6

or a salt thereof.

9. A pharmaceutically acceptable salt of a compound according to claim 1 .

10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more compounds according to claim 1 or one or more pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, optionally together with one or more inert carriers and/or diluents.

11. A method for treating a disease or condition which can be influenced by the modulation of the function of GPR40, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the disease or condition is a metabolic disease selected from the group consisting of type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia.

12. A pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more compounds according to claim 1 or one or more pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and one or more additional therapeutic agents, optionally together with one or more inert carriers and/or diluents.

13. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 12 wherein the one or more additional therapeutic agents is selected from the group consisting of antidiabetic agents, agents for the treatment of overweight and/or obesity and agents for the treatment of high blood pressure, heart failure and/or atherosclerosis.