2-aryl-2-fluoropropanoic acids and derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions containing them

1. A compound of formula (I) or single enantiomers or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,

wherein

Ar is a phenyl group substituted by one or more groups independently selected from F, Br, I, C 2 -C 4 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkynyl, hydroxy, C 1 -C 4 -acyloxy, cyano, heteroarylamino, C 1 -C 4 -acylamino, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy, benzoyl, heteroarylcarbonyl, heteroaryl, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonate, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonamides, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkyl sulfonylmethyl; or Ar is a heteroaryl ring selected from pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole;

R is OH or a residue of formula NR′R″

wherein

R′ group is selected from

H, OH and

when R′ is H, R″ is selected from

H, C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl, C 1 -C 5 -alkoxy;

an heteroaryl group selected from substituted and unsubstituted pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole, thiazole, oxazole;

an amino acid residue comprising straight or branched C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 1 -C6-phenylalkyl, substituted with one further carboxy (COOH) group;

a residue of formula —CH 2 —CH 2 —Z—(CH 2 —CH 2 O) n R* wherein R* is H or C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, n is an integer from 0 to 2 and Z is oxygen or sulfur;

a residue of formula —(CH 2 ) n —NR a R b wherein n is an integer from 0 to 5 and each R a and R b , which may be the same or different, are C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl or, alternatively, R a and R b , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound, form a heterocycle from 3 to 7 members of formula (II)

wherein W represents a single bond, O, S, N—R c , R c being H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or C 1 -C 6 -alkylphenyl, and n is an integer from 0 to 3,

a residue of formula SO 2 R d wherein R d is C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, aryl and heteroaryl;

when R′ is OH, R″ is selected from H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl with the proviso that compounds of the general formula (I) exclude 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)-2-fluoropropanoic acid.

2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein:

Ar is a phenyl group substituted by one or more groups independently selected from: benzoyl, 4-trifluoromethyl-2-amino-thiazole, 4-trifluoromethyl-2-amino-oxazole, trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy, trifluoromethanesulfonylamino, benzylsulfonyloxy, benzenesulfonyloxy, 2′-chlorobenzenesulfonyloxy, methanesulfonylamino, 2-propanesulfonylamino, benzylsulfonylamino, benzenesulfonylamino, 2′-ethylbenzenesulfonylamino, aminosulfonylmethyl, 2′-chlorobenzenesulfonylamino, benzenesulfonylmethyl, aminosulfonyloxy, aminosulfonylamino;

R is OH or a residue of formula NR′R″

wherein

when R′ is H, R″ is selected from

H, C 1 -C 5 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 5 alkoxy, C 1 -C 2 -carboxyalkyl;

an heteroaryl group selected from substituted and unsubstituted pyridine, thiazole, oxazole; a residue of formula —(CH 2 ) n —NR a R b wherein n is the integer 2 or 3, more preferably 3 and the group NR a R b is N,N-dimethylamine, N,N-diethylamine, 1-piperidyl, 1-pirrolidinyl, 4-morpholyl, 1-pyrrolidyl, 1-piperazinyl, 1-(4-methyl)piperazinyl;

a residue of formula SO 2 R d wherein R d is C 1 -C 2 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl

when R′ is OH, R″ is

H, C 1 -C 5 alkyl, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl.

3. A compound according to claim 1 selected from:

2-fluoro-2-(4-{[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]oxy}phenyl) propanoic acid;

(2S)-2-fluoro-2-(4-{[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]oxy}phenyl)propanoic acid;

(2R)-2-fluoro-2-(4-{[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]oxy}phenyl)propanoic acid;

4-[(1S)-1-fluoro-2-(hydroxyamino)-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl}phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-[(1S)-1-fluoro-2-[hydroxyl(methyl)amino]-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl}phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

2-fluoro-2-(3-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]amino}phenyl)propanoic acid;

4-(2-amino-1-fluoro-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-[(1R)-2-amino-1-fluoro-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-[(1S)-2-amino-1-fluoro˜1-methyl-2-oxoethyl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-[1-fluoro-2-(methoxyamino)-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl]phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-[1-fluoro-2-(isopropylamino)-1-methyl-2-oxoethyl]phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

2-(3-benzoylphenyl)-2-fluoropropanamide;

2-fluoro-2-(3-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]amino}phenyl)propanamide;

(2S)-2-{[(2R)-2-fluoro-2-(3-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1)-3-thiazol-2-yl]amino}phenyl)propanoyl]amino}propanoic acid;

(2S)-2-{[2-fluoro-2-(3-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]amino}phenyl)propanoyl]amino}propanoic acid;

4-{(1R)-1-fluoro-1-methyl-2-[(methylsulfonyl)amino]-2-oxoethyl}phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate;

4-{(1S)-1-fluoro-1-methyl-2-oxo-2-(2-pyrrolidin-1-ylethyl)amino]ethyl}phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate; and

4-((1R)-1-fluoro-1-methyl-2-oxo-2-{[(2R)-pyrrolidin-2-ylmethyl]amino}ethyl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.

4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I) or single enantiomers or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,

wherein

Ar is a phenyl group unsubstituted or substituted by one or more groups independently selected from halogen, C 2 -C 4 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkynyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, hydroxy, C 1 -C 4 -acyloxy, cyano, nitro, heteroarylamino, C 1 -C 4 -acylamino, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy, benzoyl, heteroarylcarbonyl, heteroaryl, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonate, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonamides, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkyl sulfonylmethyl; or Ar is a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridine, pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole;

R is OH or a residue of formula NR′R″

wherein

R′ group is selected from

H, OH and

when R′ is H, R″ is selected from

H, C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl, C 1 -C 5 -alkoxy;

an heteroaryl group selected from substituted and unsubstituted pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole, thiazole, oxazole;

an amino acid residue comprising straight or branched C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 1 -C 6 -phenylalkyl, substituted with one further carboxy (COOH) group;

a residue of formula —CH 2 —CH 2 —Z—(CH 2 —CH 2 O) n R* wherein R* is H or C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, n is an integer from 0 to 2 and Z is oxygen or sulfur;

a residue of formula —(CH 2 ) n —NR a R b wherein n is an integer from 0 to 5 and each R a and R b , which may be the same or different, are C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl or, alternatively, R a and R b , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound, form a heterocycle from 3 to 7 members of formula (II)

wherein W represents a single bond, O, S, N—R c , R c being H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or C 1 -C 6 -alkylphenyl, and n is an integer from 0 to 3,

a residue of formula SO 2 R d wherein R d is C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, aryl and heteroaryl;

when R′ is OH, R″ is selected from H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl; with the proviso that compounds of the general formula (I) exclude 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)-2-fluoropropanoic acid;

in admixture with a suitable carrier thereof.

5. A method for the treatment of a disease which responds to the inhibition of the CXCL8- and C5a-induced chemotaxis of polymorphonucleate and mononucleate cells, said method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I) or single enantiomers or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,

wherein

Ar is a phenyl group unsubstituted or substituted by one or more groups independently selected from halogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 4 -alkynyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, hydroxy, C 1 -C 4 -acyloxy, phenoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C 1 -C 4 -acylamino, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkyl, halo-C 1 -C 3 -alkoxy, benzoyl, heteroarylcarbonyl, heteroaryl, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonate, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkanesulfonamides, linear or branched C 1 -C 8 -alkyl sulfonylmethyl; or Ar is a heteroaryl ring selected from pyridine, pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole;

R is OH or a residue of formula NR′R″

wherein

R′ group is selected from

H, OH and

when R′ is H, R″ is selected from

H, C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl, C 1 -C 5 -alkoxy;

an heteroaryl group selected from substituted and unsubstituted pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, thiofene, furane, indole, thiazole, oxazole;

an amino acid residue comprising straight or branched C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 1 -C6-phenylalkyl, substituted with one further carboxy (COOH) group;

a residue of formula —CH 2 —CH 2 —Z—(CH 2 —CH 2 O) n R* wherein R* is H or C 1 -C 5 -alkyl, n is an integer from 0 to 2 and Z is oxygen or sulfur;

a residue of formula —(CH 2 ) n —NR a R b wherein n is an integer from 0 to 5 and each R a and R b , which may be the same or different, are C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl or, alternatively, R a and R b , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound, form a heterocycle from 3 to 7 members of formula (II)

wherein W represents a single bond, 0, S, N—R c , R c being H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or C 1 -C 6 -alkylphenyl, and n is an integer from 0 to 3,

a residue of formula SO 2 R d wherein R d is C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, aryl and heteroaryl;

when R′ is OH, R″ is selected from H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 5 -alkenyl, wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of sepsis, psoriasis, bullous pemphigoid, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, idiopathic fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, glomerulonephritis and in the treatment of injury caused by ischemia and reperfusion.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the compound of formula (I) is 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)-2-fluoropropanoic acid.