Benzofuran derivatives and their use as antibacterial agents

1. A compound of formula

wherein R 1 represents cycloalkylmethyl with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; aryl; arylmethyl or heteroarymethyl, the aryl and heteroaryl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxy, nitro, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; straight or branched chain lower alkylcarbonyl with up to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylcarbonyl with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; cycloalkylhydroxymethyl with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; arylcarbonyl, the aryl group may be mono-, di or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; arylhydroxymethyl, the aryl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; straight or branched chain lower alkenyl with 2 to 6 carbon atoms; hydroxy-lower alkyl with 1 to 6 carbon atoms; fluoro-lower alkyl with 1 to 6 carbon atoms; aryloxy-lower alkyl whereby the aryl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; arylthio-lower alkyl whereby the aryl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; arylamino-lower alkyl whereby the aryl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; lower alkenyloxy lower alkyl whereby the lower alkenyl group may contain 2 to 4 carbon atoms and the lower alkyl group may contain 1 or 2 carbon atoms; benzyloxy lower alkyl whereby the benzyl group may be mono-, di- or tri-substituted with halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different; lower alkylamino lower alkyl whereby the lower alkyl groups may contain 1 to 3 carbon atoms; heterocyclylmethyl containing one to three hetero atoms which can be the same or different and which may be substituted with lower alkyl, halogen, amino, lower alkyloxy, hydroxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino and benzofused derivatives thereof, and wherein R 2 and R 3 independently represent hydrogen; lower alkyl with 1 to 3 carbon atoms; or together a lower alkylene group with 1 to 3 carbon atoms bridging the oxygen atoms and forming a five, six or seven membered ring; R 4 represents hydrogen; straight or branched chain lower alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms; a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; or N-oxide thereof.

2. The compound of formula

wherein R 1 is cycloalkylmethyl with 3 to 6 carbon atoms; aryl; arylmethyl or heteroarymethyl, the aryl and heteroaryl group may be mono- or di substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxy, nitro, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyloxy, lower alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, whereby these substituents may be the same or different, and R 2 and R 3 are methyl or together are a methylene group bridging the oxygen atoms to which they are attached and R 4 is hydrogen or methyl.

3. The compound of formula

wherein R 1 is 4-methoxy-benzyl, phenyl, benzyl, cyclopropylmethyl, 4-fluoro-benzyl, 3,4-dihydro-1 H-isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl, 4-methoxy-benzyloxymethyl, 4-acetylaminophenyl-sulfanyl-methyl, 4-trifluoromethyl-phenoxymethyl, 4-amino-phenoxymethyl, allyloxymethyl, phenyl-[1,3]dioxolan-2-yl, pyrrol-1-ylmethyl, 3,4-dimethoxy-benzyl, 4-hydroxyphenyloxylnethyl, phenylcarbonylmethyl, 4-fluoro-phenoxymethyl, 2,2-dimethyl-propyl, 4-fluoro-phenylsulfanylmethyl, hydroxymethyl, formyl, 4-fluoro-phenylamino-methyl, imidazol-1 -ylmethyl, dimethylaminomethyl, morpholin-4-ylmethyl, biphenyl-4-ylmethyl, ethoxycarbonyl, carboxy, 4-hydroxybenzyl, furan-2-ylmethyl, thiophen-2-ylmethyl, thiophen-3 -ylmethyl, 1-methyl-pyrrol-2-ylmethyl, pyridin-2-ylmethyl, pyridin-3-ylmethyl, pyridin-4-ylmethyl, 4-acetylaminobenzyl, 4-amino-benzyl, 4-nitro-benzyl, 4-acetylamino-3-methoxy-benzyl, 4-amino-3-methoxy-benzyl, 3-acetylamino-4-methoxy-benzyl, 3-amino-4-methoxy-benzyl, allyl, isopropenyl or halogenmethyl, and R 2 and R 3 are methyl or together are a methylen group bridging the oxygen atoms to which they are attached and R 4 is hydrogen or methyl.

4. The compound of formula

wherein R 1 is 4-methoxy-benzyl, phenyl, benzyl, cyclopropylmethyl, 4-fluoro-benzyl, 3,4-dihydro-1 H-isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl, 4-methoxy-benzyloxymethyl, 4-acetylaminophenyl-sulfanyl-methyl, 4-trifluoromethyl-phenoxymethyl, 4-amino-phenoxymethyl, allyloxymethyl, 3,4-dimethoxy-benzyl, 4-hydroxybenzyl, pyridin-2-ylmethyl, pyridin-3 -ylmethyl, pyridin-4-ylmethyl, 4-acetylaminobenzyl, 4-amino-benzyl, 4-acetylamino-3 -methoxy-benzyl, 4-amino-3-methoxy-benzyl, 3-acetylamino-4-methoxy-benzyl, 3-amino-4-methoxy-benzyl or aryl methyl and R 2 and R 3 are both methyl and R 4 is hydrogen.

5. The compound of formula

wherein R 1 is 4-methoxy-benzyl, benzyl, cyclopropylmethyl, 4-fluoro-benzyl, 3,4-dihydro-1 H-isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl, 4-amino-phenoxymethyl, 4-hydroxybenzyl, pyridin-2-ylmethyl, pyridin-3-ylmethyl, pyridin-4-ylmethyl, 4-acetylaminobenzyl, 4-amino-benzyl, 4-acetylamino-3-methoxy-benzyl, 4-amino-3-methoxy-benzyl, 3-acetylamino-4-methoxy-benzyl, 3-amino-4-methoxy-benzyl and R 2 and R 3 are both methyl and R 4 is hydrogen.

6. The compound according to claim 1 selected from the group consisting of

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxy-benzyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-phenyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Benzyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Cyclopropylmethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(4-Fluoro-benzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(3,4-Dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxy-benzyloxymethyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine, N-{4-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethylsulfanyl]-phenyl}-acetamide,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenoxymethyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(4-Amino-phenoxymethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Allyloxymethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(2-phenyl-[1,3]dioxolan-2-yl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-pyrrol-1-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(3,4-Dimethoxy-benzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

4-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethoxy]-phenol, [4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-yl]-phenyl-methanone,

5-[2-(4-Fluoro-phenoxymethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine, 5-[2-(2,2-Dimethyl-propyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(4-Fluoro-phenylsulfanylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-yl]-methanol,

4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-carbaldehyde

5-{2-[(4-Fluoro-phenylamino)-methyl]-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl}-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Imidazol-1-ylmethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Dimethylaminomethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-morpholin-4-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Biphenyl-4-ylmethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-3-methyl-benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid,

4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-3-methyl-benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-((4-chlorobenzyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(1-naphthylmethyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(2-propenyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-trifluoromethylbenzofuran-4-ylmethyl)pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(2,2-dimethylpropan1-one)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(cyclopropylcarbonyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl-methanone)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-chlorophenyl-methanoneI)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl-methanone)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(1-naphthylmethanone)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(2,2-dimethyl-1-hydroxypropyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(cyclopropylmethanol)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(phenylmethanol)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-((4-methoxyphenylmethanol)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-((4-chlorophenyl)methanol)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-((4-fluorophenylmethanol)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(1-naphthylmethanol)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[2-(3,4-Dihydro-2H-quinolin-1-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(tetrazol-5-ylmethyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(indol-1-ylmethyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(imidazol-1-ylcarbonyl)benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(2-Furan-2-ylmethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-0,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-thiophen -2-ylmethyl-benzofuran -4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-ylmethyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-pyridin-3-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

4-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethyl]-phenol,

N-{4-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethyl]-phenyl}-acetamide,

5-[2-(4-Amino-benzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

5-[6,7-Dimethoxy-2-(4-nitro-benzyl)-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

N-{4-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethyl]-2-methoxy-phenyl}-acetamide,

5-[2-(4-Amino-3-methoxy-benzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

N-{5-[4-(2,4-Diamino-pyrimidin-5-ylmethyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-2-ylmethyl]-2-methoxy-phenyl}-acetamide,

5-[2-(3-Amino-4-methoxy-benzyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl]-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine, and

5-(6,7-Dimethoxy-2-thiophen-3-ylmethyl-benzofuran-4-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4-diamine,

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or N-oxide thereof.

7. A pharmaceutical composition containing a compound of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier material or adjuvant.

8. A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis , containing a compound of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier material or adjuvant.

9. A pharmaceutical composition containing a compound of claim 6 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier material or adjuvant.

10. A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis , containing a compound of claim 6 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier material or adjuvant.

11. A process for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition, which process comprises mixing at least one compound of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

12. A process for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis , which process comprises mixing at least one compound of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

13. A process for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition comprising mixing a compound of claim 6 with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

14. A process for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis , comprising mixing a compound of claim 6 with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

15. A method for using at least one compound of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 for the treatment of an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis which method comprises administering an effective amount of said compound to a patient in need thereof.

16. A method for using the compound of claim 6 to treat an infection caused by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis or Bacillus subtilis which method comprises administering an effective amount of said compound to a patient in need thereof.