Aryl pyridine as aldosterone synthase inhibitors

1. A Compound of Formula I′:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

A is —CH 2 —, —CHR 5 —, —CR 5 R 6 — or —CR 5a R 6a —CR 5b R 6b —;

Ring C is a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl;

R 1 is C 1-7 alkyl, haloalkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C 6-10 aryl, C 6-10 aryl-C 1-7 alkyl, C 6-10 aryloxy-C 1-7 alkyl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl in which alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl are optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R 7 ;

R 2 is H, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl-C 1-7 alkyl, hydroxy-C 1-7 alkyl, C 1-7 alkyl-OC(O)C 1-7 alkyl, C 1-7 alkoxy-C 1-7 alkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycyl, or C 6-10 aryl; wherein aryl and heteroaryl are optionally substituted with hydroxy, C 1-7 alkoxy, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, halo, CN or C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

R 3 is H, halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, cyano, C 1-7 alkoxy, hydroxy, nitro, —NH 2 , —NH(C 1-7 alkyl) or —N(C 1-7 alkyl) 2 ;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, cyano, —NH 2 , —NH(C 1-7 alkyl), —N(C 1-7 alkyl) 2 , C 1-7 alkoxy, halo-C 1-7 alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro, sulfonyl, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, C 6-10 aryl, heterocyclyl, C 6-10 aryloxy, heterocyclyloxy, —SH, —S—C 1-7 alkyl, —C(O)O—C 6-10 aryl, —C(O)O-heterocyclyl, —C(O)O-heteroaryl, —C(O)NR 2 —C 1-7 alkyl, —C(O)NR 2 —C 6-10 aryl, —C(O)NR 2 -heteroaryl, —C(O)NR 2 -heterocyclyl, —NR 2 C(O)—C 1-7 alkyl, —NR 2 C(O)—C 6-10 aryl, —NR 2 C(O)-heteroaryl, —NR 2 C(O)-heterocyclyl, —OC(O)—C 1-7 alkyl, —OC(O)—C 6-10 aryl, —OC(O)-heteroaryl and —OC(O)-heterocyclyl; wherein R 4 is optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R 7 ; or

two adjacent R 4 groups can form with the atoms to which they are attached a phenyl or a 5- or 6-membered ring heteroaryl, in which said phenyl or heteroaryl ring is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 R 8 ;

R 5 and R 6 are independently C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C 6-10 aryl; or R 5 and R 6 form together with the atom to which they are attached a C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

R 5a , R 6a , R 5b and R 6b are independently H, C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C 6-10 aryl; or any two of R 5a , R 6a , R 5b and R 6b form together with the atom(s) to which they are attached a C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C 1-7 alkoxy, C 6-10 aryloxy, heterocyclyl, C 6-10 aryl, heteroaryl, CN and halo-C 1-7 alkyl;

each R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 1-7 alkoxy, CN and halo-C 1-7 alkoxy; and

wherein each heteroaryl is a monocyclic aromatic ring comprising 5 or 6 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 5 heteroatoms, and

each heterocyclyl is a monocyclic saturated or partially saturated but non-aromatic moiety comprising 4-7 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 3 heteroatoms; and each heteroatoms being O, N or S;

p is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, with the proviso that Ring C together with two adjacent R 4 groups do not form a 2-indole.

2. The compound of claim 1 , having Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein

A is —CH 2 —, —CHR 5 —, —CR 5 R 6 — or —CR 5a R 6a —CR 5b R 6b —;

Ring C is a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl;

R 1 is C 1-7 alkyl, haloalkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C 6-10 aryl, C 6-10 aryl-C 1-7 alkyl, C 6-10 aryloxy-C 1-7 alkyl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl in which alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl are optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R 7 ;

R 2 is H, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycyl or C 6-10 aryl;

R 3 is H, halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, cyano, C 1-7 alkoxy, hydroxy, nitro, —NH 2 , —NH(C 1-7 alkyl) or —N(C 1-7 alkyl) 2 ;

each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, cyano, —NH 2 , —NH(C 1-7 alkyl), —N(C 1-7 alkyl) 2 , C 1-7 alkoxy, halo-C 1-7 alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro, sulfonyl, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, C 6-10 aryl, heterocyclyl, C 6-10 aryloxy, heterocyclyloxy, —SH, —S—C 1-7 alkyl, —C(O)O—C 6-10 aryl, —C(O)O-heterocyclyl, —C(O)O-heteroaryl, —C(O)NR 2 —C 1-7 alkyl, —C(O)NR 2 —C 6-10 aryl, —C(O)NR 2 -heteroaryl, —C(O)NR 2 -heterocyclyl, —NR 2 C(O)—C 1-7 alkyl, —NR 2 C(O)—C 6-10 aryl, —NR 2 C(O)-heteroaryl, —NR 2 C(O)-heterocyclyl, —OC(O)—C 1-7 alkyl, —OC(O)—C 6-10 aryl, —OC(O)-heteroaryl and —OC(O)-heterocyclyl; wherein R 4 is optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R 7 ; or

two adjacent R 4 groups can form with the atoms to which they are attached a phenyl or a 5- or 6-membered ring heteroaryl, in which said phenyl or heteroaryl ring is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 R 8 ;

R 5 and R 6 are independently C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C 6-10 aryl; or R 5 and R 6 form together with the atom to which they are attached a C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

R 5a , R 6a , R 5b and R 6b are independently H, C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C 6-10 aryl; or any two of R 5a , R 6a , R 5b and R 6b form together with the atom(s) to which they are attached a C 3-7 cycloalkyl;

each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, C 3-7 cycloalkyl, C 1-7 alkoxy, C 6-10 aryloxy, heterocyclyl, C 6-10 aryl, heteroaryl, CN and halo-C 1-7 alkyl;

each R 8 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C 1-7 alkyl, halo-C 1-7 alkyl, C 1-7 alkoxy, CN and halo-C 1-7 alkoxy; and

wherein each heteroaryl is a monocyclic aromatic ring comprising 5 or 6 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 5 heteroatoms, and

each heterocyclyl is a monocyclic saturated or partially saturated but non-aromatic moiety comprising 4-7 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 3 heteroatoms; and

each heteroatoms being O, N or S;

p is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, with the proviso that Ring C together with two adjacent R 4 groups do not form a 2-indole.

3. The compound of claim 1 having Formula III:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein C, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 and p are as defined in claim 1 .

4. The compound of claim 1 having Formula V:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein C, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5a , R 6a , R 5b , R 6b and p are as defined in claim 1 .

5. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein Ring C or Ring C together with 2 R 4 groups, is selected from:

wherein R 8a is R 8 or H and R 4a is R 4 or H.

6. The compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 4 is independently selected from C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, CN, halo, halo-C 1-4 alkyl or halo-C 1-7 alkoxy.

7. The compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein A is CHR 5 .

8. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically salt thereof wherein R 1 is C 1-4 alkyl, R 2 is H, R 3 is H, A is CHR 5 , R 5 is C 1-4 alkyl or C 3-6 cycloalkyl, p is 1 or 2; and each R 4 is independently C 1-4 alkyl, halo-C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, CN, halo or halo-C 1-4 alkoxy.

9. The compound of claim 1 selected from:

N-((5-(6-chloro-1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)pyridin-3yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

Ethanesulfonic acid [5-(6-chloro-1-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-2-yl)-pyridin-3-ylmethyl]-amide;

Ethanesulfonic acid [5-(6-chloro-1-methyl-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridin-2-yl)-pyridin-3-ylmethyl]-amide;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-benzo-[1,3]-dioxol-5-yl-pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-(2,3-dihydro-benzofuran-5-yl)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-(1H-indol-5-yl)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-(1-methyl-1H-indol-5-yl)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

2-Chloro-4-[5-(1,1-dioxo-isothiazolidin-2-ylmethyl)-pyridin-3-yl]-benzonitrile;

N-(cyclopropyl(5-(quinolin-6-yl)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-((5-(5-cyanobenzofuran-2-yl)pyridin-3-yl)(cyclopropyl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-((5-(benzo[d]thiazol-5-yl)pyridin-3-yl)(cyclopropyl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

N-((5-(benzofuran-5-yl)pyridin-3-yl)(cyclopropyl)methyl)ethanesulfonamide;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers.

11. A pharmaceutical combination, comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and one or more therapeutically active agents selected from the group consisting of an HMG-Co-A reductase inhibitor, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) Inhibitor, a calcium channel blocker (CCB), a dual angiotensin converting enzyme/neutral endopeptidase (ACE/NEP) inhibitor, an endothelin antagonist, a renin inhibitor, a diuretic, an ApoA-I mimic, an anti-diabetic agent, an obesity-reducing agent, an aldosterone receptor blocker, an endothelin receptor blocker, and a CETP inhibitor.

12. A method of treating a disorder or a disease in a subject mediated by aldosterone synthase, comprising:

Administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the compound according to claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein the disorder or the disease is hypertension.