Pyrazolo[3,4-C]quinolines, pyrazolo[3,4-C]naphthyridines, analogs thereof, and methods

1. A compound of the Formula III:

wherein:

R C is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, phenyl, phenyloxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, halogen, haloalkyl, hydroxy, cyano, mercapto, nitro, carboxy, alkylamino, dialkylamino, benzylamino, heteroarylmethylamino, and cyclic amino; wherein phenyl, phenoxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, the phenyl ring of the benzyl group, and heteroaryl in the heteroarylmethylamino group are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, methoxy, bromo, chloro, fluoro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, cyano, nitro, and hydroxy;

R is selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy, alkyl, alkenyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, and —N(R 9 ) 2 ;

n is an integer from 0 to 4;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and

—X—R 5 ;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, —N(R 9 ), nitro, alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl wherein the alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, aryl, halogen, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkoxy, acetyloxy, and alkoxycarbonylalkoxy;

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—R 4 ,

—Z—X—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—X—Y—R4, and

—Z—X—R 5 ;

m is 0 or 1, with the proviso that when m is 1 then n is 0 or 1;

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

Y is-selected-from the group consisting of:

Z is a bond or —O—;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl groups can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, cyano, aryl, aryloxy, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylalkyleneoxy, heterocyclyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, (dialkylamino)alkyleneoxy, and in the case of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and heterocyclyl, oxo, and in the case of heterocyclyl, amidino and oximido;

R 5 is selected from the group consisting of:

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of ═O and ═S;

R 7 is C 2-7 alkylene;

R 8 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, arylalkylenyl, and heteroarylalkylenyl;

R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl;

R 10 is C 3-8 alkylene;

A is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —C(O)—, —S(O) 0-2 —, and —N(R 4 )—;

A′ is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S(O) 0-2 —, —N(-Q-R 4 )—, and —CH 2 —;

Q is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(R 6 )—, —C(R 6 )—C(R 6 )—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—W—, —S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, —C(R 8 )—O—, —C(R 6 )—S—, and —C(R 6 )—N(OR 9 )—;

V is selected from the group consisting of —C(R 6 )—, —O—C(R 6 )—, —N(R 8 )—C(R 6 )—, and —S(O) 2 —;

W is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(O)—, and —S(O) 2 —; and

a and b are independently integers from 1 to 6 with the proviso that a+b is ≦7;

with the proviso that R 1 is other than hydrogen, methyl, or phenyl; and with the further proviso that the compound is other than N-[1,1-dimethyl-2-(2-methyl-2H-pyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolin-1-yl)ethyl]benzamide;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein n is 0.

3. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein m is 1 and n is 0.

4. The compound or salt of claim 3 wherein m is 0.

5. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R C is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, phenyl, phenoxy, heteroaryl, and cyclic amino; wherein phenyl, phenoxy, and heteroaryl are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, methoxy, bromo, chloro, fluoro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, cyano, nitro, and hydroxy.

6. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl, wherein aryl and heteroaryl are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, aryl, halogen, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkoxy, acetyloxy, and alkoxycarbonylalkoxy.

7. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—R 4 .

8. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—Y—R 4 .

9. The compound or salt of any claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—R 5 .

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

11. The compound or salt of claim 5 wherein R c is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, chloro, methyl, trifluoromethyl, phenyl, phenoxy, 1-morpholino, 1-piperidino, 4-methylpiperazin-1-yl, and heteroaryl wherein heteroaryl is a 5 or 6 membered monocyclic ring containing one or two heteroatoms.

12. The compound or salt of claim 6 wherein R 2 is C 1-4 alkyl.

13. The compound or salt of claim 6 wherein R 2 is phenyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, aryl, halogen, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkoxy, acetyloxy, and alkoxycarbonylalkoxy.

14. The compound or salt of claim 7 wherein X is —(CH 2 ) 1-3 —, and R 4 is aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, cyano, aryl, aryloxy, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylalkyleneoxy, heterocyclyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, (dialkylamino)alkyleneoxy, and in the case of heterocyclyl, oxo, amidino, and oximido.

15. The compound or salt of claim 14 wherein R 4 is a saturated, nitrogen-containing heterocyclyl group which is unsubstituted or substituted by oxo, amidino, or oximido.

16. The compound or salt of claim 1 wherein R 1 is —X—Y—X—Y—R 4 .

17. The compound or salt of claim 16 wherein R 1 is

wherein Y is —C(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, —S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, or —C(O)—N(R 8 )—, and R 4 is C 1-5 alkyl, phenyl, or pyridyl.

18. The compound or salt of claim 9 wherein —X—is —(CH 2 ) 1-4 —, and R 5 is

wherein V is —C(O)—, A is —N(R 4 )—, and a and b are both 2.