Methods of using 4, 5, 6, 7-tetrahydroimidazo-[4,5-c]pyridine compounds

1. A method for the treatment of inflammation, an inflammatory disease, an immune or an autoimmune disorder associated with SSAO inhibition, which comprises administering to a mammal in need of such treatment an effective amount of a compound of formula (I),

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, geometrical isomer, tautomer, optical isomer or N-oxide thereof, wherein:

R 1 is selected from:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) C 1-6 -alkyl, and

(c) —NR 4A R 4B ;

R 2 is selected from:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) C 1-6 -alkyl,

(c) halo-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(d) hydroxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(e) C 1-6 -alkoxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(f) halo-C 1-6 -alkoxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(g) N(R 4A R 4B )—C 1-6 -alkyl,

(h) —C(O)NR 4A R 4B , and

(i) —C(O)O—C 1-6 -alkyl;

R 3 is selected from:

(a) C 1-6 -alkyl,

(b) halo-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(c) hydroxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(d) C 1-6 -alkoxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(e) halo-C 1-6 -alkoxy-C 1-6 -alkyl,

(f) N(R 4A R 4B )—C 1-6 -alkyl,

(g) C 6-10 -aryl-C 1-4 -alkyl,

(h) heteroaryl-C 1-4 -alkyl,

(i) C 6-10 -aryloxy-C 1-4 -alkyl,

(j) heteroaryloxy-C 1-4 -alkyl,

(k) C 3-8 -cycloalkyl,

(l) C 3-8 -cycloalkyl-C 1-4 -alkyl,

(m) heterocyclyl, and

(n) heterocyclyl-C 1-4 -alkyl,

wherein any aryl or heteroaryl residue is optionally substituted with one more substituents independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, CF 3 , C 1-4 -alkyl, C 1-4 -alkoxy and —NR 4A R 4B , and wherein any cycloalkyl or heterocyclyl residue is optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, C 1-4 -alkyl, C 1-4 -alkoxy and —NR 4A R 4B ;

R 4A and R 4B are each independently selected from:

(a) hydrogen,

(b) C 1-6 -alkyl, and

(c) C 1-6 -acyl.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 is H.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein R 2 is selected from hydrogen, —C(O)O—C 1-3 -alkyl and —C(O)NR 4A′ R 4B′ , and wherein R 4A′ and R 4B′ are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-2 -alkyl.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 is selected from halo-C 1-2 -alkyl, halo-C 1-2 -alkoxy-C 1-2 -alkyl, phenyl-C 1-2 -alkyl, phenoxy-C 1-2 -alkyl, C 5-6 -heteroaryl-C 1-2 -alkyl, C 5-6 -heteroaryloxy-C 1-2 -alkyl, heterocyclyl and heterocyclyl-C 1-2 -alkyl, and wherein any phenyl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl residue is optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from halogen and C 1-2 -alkyl.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound is selected from:

2,2,2-Trichloroethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

2-Chloro-2,2-difluoroethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Benzyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

3-Chlorobenzyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

4-Chlorobenzyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Pyridin-2-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Pyridin-3-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Pyridin-4-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(5-Chloropyridin-2-yl)methyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Pyrazin-2-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Benzyl (4S,6S)-6-(aminocarbonyl)-4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo-[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Benzyl (4S,6S)-4-isopropyl-6-[(methylamino)carbonyl]-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

5-Benzyl 6-methyl (4S,6S)-4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5,6-dicarboxylate;

2-Phenoxyethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

2-(4-Chlorophenoxy)ethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(3S)-Tetrahydrofuran-3-yl (4S)-4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Tetrahydrofuran-3-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(3-Methyloxetan-3-yl)methyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(2R)-Tetrahydrofuran-2-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

1,3-Thiazol-2-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(5-Methylisoxazol-3-yl)methyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

[(2S)-1-Methylpyrrolidin-2-yl]methyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo-[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

(3R)-1-methylpyrrolidin-3-yl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate;

Oxetan-2-ylmethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate;

2-(Pyridin-3-yloxy)ethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-5-carboxylate; and

2-(2,2,2-Trifluoroethoxy)ethyl 4-isopropyl-1,4,6,7-tetrahydro-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]-pyridine-5-carboxylate.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the compound is in a pharmaceutical formulation containing a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is arthritis, synovitis, vasculitis, a condition associated with inflammation of the bowel, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, a pulmonary inflammatory disease, a fibrotic disease, an inflammatory disease of the skin, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, an inflammatory and/or autoimmune condition of the liver, diabetes (type I or II) and complications thereof, chronic heart failure, congestive heart failure, an ischemic disease or myocardial infarction and complications thereof.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory disease is vasculitis.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is a condition associated with inflammation of the bowel selected from Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is a pulmonary inflammatory disease selected from asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is a fibrotic disease selected from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis and systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is an inflammatory disease of the skin selected from contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is autoimmune condition of the liver selected autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune cholangitis.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inflammation or inflammatory disease or immune or autoimmune disorder is an ischemic disease selected from stroke and ischemia-reperfusion injury.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the mammal is man.