Pyrido [4,3-B] indole and pyrido [3,4-B] indole derivatives and methods of use

1. A compound of the formula (IA):

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;

wherein:

R 1 is H, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 8 alkynyl, perhaloalkyl, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, C 1 -C 8 perhaloalkoxy, alkoxy, aryloxy, —SH, thioalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted amino, acylamino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl or carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

each R 2a and R 2b is independently H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, halo, cyano, hydroxyl, alkoxy, nitro, substituted or unsubstituted amino, acyloxy, acylamino, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, or R 2a and R 2b are taken together with the carbon to which they are attached to form a carbonyl moiety or a cycloalkyl moiety;

each R 3a and R 3b is independently H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, halo, cyano, hydroxyl, alkoxy, nitro, substituted or unsubstituted amino, acyloxy, acylamino, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, or R 3a and R 3b are taken together with the carbon to which they are attached to form a carbonyl moiety or a cycloalkyl moiety;

each R 4a and R 4b is independently H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, halo, cyano, nitro, substituted or unsubstituted amino, hydroxyl, alkoxy, acyloxy, acylamino, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, or R 4a and R 4b are taken together with the carbon to which they are attached to form a carbonyl moiety or a cycloalkyl moiety;

R 5 is H or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl;

each X 1 , X 2 and X 3 is independently CH or CR 6 , provided that at least one of X 1 , X 2 and X 3 is CR 6 ;

m and n are each 1;

o and p are each 0;

each R 6 is independently hydroxyl, nitro, cyano, halo, C 1 -C 8 perhaloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 8 alkynyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 8 perhaloalkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy, carboxyl, carbonylalkoxy, —SH, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, thioalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted amino, acylamino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, carbonylalkylenealkoxy, alkylsulfonylamino or acyl;

each R 8a , R 8b , R 8c , and R 8d is independently H, hydroxyl, alkoxy, halo, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, C 1 -C 8 perhaloalkyl, carboxyl, carbonylalkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 8 alkyl substituted with a carbonylalkoxy, carboxyl or acylamino moiety,

or is taken together with a geminal R 8(a-d) to form a substituted or unsubstituted methylene moiety or a moiety of the formula —OCH 2 CH 2 O—, or is taken together with a geminal R 8(a-d) and the carbon to which they are attached to form a carbonyl moiety or a cycloalkyl moiety,

or is taken together with a vicinal R 8(a-d) and the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 8 cycloalkenyl, or substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl moiety,

or is taken together with a vicinal R 8(a-d) to form a bond provided when an R 8(a-d) is taken together with a vicinal R 8(a-d) to form a bond, the geminal R 8(a-d) is other than hydroxyl; and

Q is substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 8 cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 3 -C 8 cycloalkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclyl, aminoacyl, acyloxy, carboxyl, cyano, alkynyl, aminocarbonylalkoxy, acylamino, or is a group of the formula —CR 9 ═CR 10a R 10b , wherein R 9 is H or a substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl and R 10a and R 10b are taken together with the carbon to which they are attached to form a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or heterocyclyl moiety;

wherein heterocyclyl refers to a saturated or unsaturated non-aromatic group having 1 to 10 annular carbon atoms and 1 to 4 annular heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen, and having a single ring or multiple condensed rings, wherein the multiple condensed rings, where present, may be fused, spiro, bridged, or any combination thereof, and wherein one or more of the fused multiple condensed rings, where present, can be aryl or heteroaryl, and wherein the heterocyclyl moiety may be connected to the parent structure at either a non-aromatic ring position or at an aromatic ring position;

heteroaryl refers to an unsaturated aromatic carbocyclic group having 1 to 10 annular carbon atoms and at least one annular heteroatom selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, and having a single ring or multiple condensed rings, wherein the multiple condensed rings, where present, may or may not be aromatic, and wherein the heteroaryl moiety may be connected to the parent structure at either an aromatic ring position or at a non-aromatic ring position;

substituted alkyl refers to an alkyl group having 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

substituted alkenyl refers to an alkenyl group having 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkyl, alkynyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

substituted alkynyl refers to an alkynyl group having 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

substituted heterocyclyl refers to a heterocycle group having 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

substituted aryl refers to an aryl group having 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy;

substituted heteroaryl refers to a heteroaryl group having 1 to 5 substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, acyl, acyloxy, carbonylalkoxy, acylamino, amino, aminoacyl, aminocarbonylamino, aminocarbonyloxy, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, cyano, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, carboxyl, thiol, thioalkyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, aminosulfonyl, sulfonylamino, sulfonyl, oxo, and carbonylalkylenealkoxy; and

substituted amino refers to the group —NR a R b , where either (a) each R a and R b group is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and heterocyclic, provided that both R a and R b groups are not H; or (b) R a and R b are joined together with the nitrogen atom to form a heterocyclic ring.

2. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is of the formula (C1), (C2), or (C3):

wherein:

R 1 is H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl;

R 5 is H or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl;

R 6 is H, halo, or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl;

R 8c is H, OH or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl;

R 8d is H or substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl, and the bond indicates the presence of either an E or Z double bond configuration;

and

D is substituted or unsubstituted aryl or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl.

3. The compound of claim 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is of the formula (C1).

4. The compound of claim 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is of the formula (C2).

5. The compound of claim 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is of the formula (C3).

6. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 1 is H or methyl.

7. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 5 is H or methyl.

8. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X 1 is CH.

9. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X 3 is CH.

10. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 6 is H, chloro or methyl.

11. The compound of claim 10 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 6 is methyl.

12. The compound of claim 3 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 8c is H, OH or methyl.

13. The compound of claim 12 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 8d is H, or unsubstituted C 1 -C 8 alkyl.

14. The compound of claim 4 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 8d is H or methyl.

15. The compound of claim 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein D is selected from the group consisting of 4-fluorophenyl, pyridin-4-yl, pyridine-3-yl, 6-methylpyridin-3-yl, thiophen-2-yl, thiazol-2-yl, and 4-phenylthiazol-2-yl.

16. The compound of claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein Q is substituted or unsubstituted aryl or substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl.

17. A compound selected from the group consisting of compounds:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

18. A pharmaceutical composition comprising (a) a compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and (b) and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

19. A kit comprising a compound according to claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and instructions for use in the treatment of a cognitive disorder, psychotic disorder, neurotransmitter-mediated disorder or a neuronal disorder.

20. A compound of claim 17 , wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of compounds:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.