Compounds which modulate the CB2 receptor

1. A compound of the formula

wherein,

R 1 is phenyl;

R 2 is NR 5 R 6 , OR 6 , SO 2 R 6 , CH 2 R 6 wherein R 5 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 alkyl and R 6 is aryl or heteroaryl optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from the group consisting of C1-6 alkyl chain, chlorine, fluorine, C1-3 alkoxy chain which is optionally substituted with fluorine, or a combination thereof or fused to an aromatic ring which is naphthyl or quinoline;

A is —(CH 2 ) 2 —;

Y is O;

X is a methylene group (which is optionally mono- or disubstituted with methyl) or a carbonyl group; and,

Ar is a divalent moiety which is either phenylene or a 5-6 membered heteroarylene, which divalent moiety is optionally mono- or disubstituted with moieties selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6 alkyl (optionally substituted by 1-3 halogens), C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl and halogen;

or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

2. The compound according the claim 1 wherein,

R 2 is NR 5 R 6 , OR 6 , SO 2 R 6 or CH 2 R 6 , wherein R 5 is hydrogen and R 6 is a phenyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, or isoxazolyl which is optionally mono- or di-substituted with C1-6 alkyl chain, chlorine, fluorine, C1-3 alkoxy chain which is optionally substituted with fluorine, or a combination thereof or fused to an aromatic ring which is naphthyl or quinoline;

X is a methylene group; and,

Ar is a 1,4-phenylene or 1,4-pyridylene.

3. The compound according the claim 2 wherein,

R 2 is NR 5 R 6 , OR 6 , SO 2 R 6 , CH 2 R 6 wherein R 5 is hydrogen and R 6 is a phenyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, pyridinyl, or pyrimidinyl which is optionally mono- or di-substituted with C1-6 alkyl chain, chlorine, fluorine, C1-3 alkoxy chain which is optionally substituted with fluorine, or a combination thereof or fused to an aromatic ring which is naphthyl or quinoline; and,

Ar is a 1,4-phenylene or 1,4-pyridylene.

4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 .

5. A method of treating pain in an animal subject comprising administering to said animal subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective dose of the compound of claim 1 .

6. A method of treating pain in an animal subject comprising administering to said animal subject in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective dose of the compound of claim 1 , wherein the pain is selected from the group consisting of acute pain, visceral pain, neuropathic pain, inflammatory and nociceptive pain, and cancer pain.

7. A compound chosen from:

(5-tert-Butyl-isoxazol-3-yl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(4-Ethoxy-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-(4-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl)-amine;

(4-Ethyl-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

Naphthalen-1-yl-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

Naphthalen-2-yl-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-pyrimidin-4-yl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-pyridin-3-yl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-pyridin-4-yl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-quinolin-3-yl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-quinolin-5-yl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-quinolin-8-yl-amine;

Isoquinolin-5-yl-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

Phenyl-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2-Chloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2,5-Dichloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2-Methoxy-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2-Ethoxy-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(2-Isopropyl-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-o-tolyl-amine;

(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(3-Chloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(3,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-m-tolyl-amine;

(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

(4-Chloro-phenyl)-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-p-tolyl-amine;

[5-((S)-2-Phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-(2-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl)-amine;

Isoquinolin-3-yl-[5-((S)-2-phenyl-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-pyridin-2-yl]-amine; and

(S)-4-(4-Phenoxy-benzyl)-2-phenyl-morpholine;

or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.