Azaindoles useful as inhibitors of JAK and other protein kinases

• US 8,501,446 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Inventors: Salituro, Francesco, Farmer, Luc, Bethiel, Randy, Harrington, Edmund, Court, John, Come, Jon, Lauffer, David, Aronov, Alex, Binch, Hayley, Boyall, Dean, Charrier, Jean-Damien, Everitt, Simon, Fraysse, Damien, Mortimore, Michael, Pierard, Francoise, Robinson, Daniel, Wang, Jian, Pinder, Joanne, Wang, Tiansheng, Pierce, Albert, Green, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANDRAKUMAR, NIZAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/441,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 435/184, 546/113
• US Class Current: 435/184
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/437 the heterocyclic ring system containing a five-membered ring having nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. indolizine, beta-carboline
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/444 containing a six-membered ring with nitrogen as a ring heteroatom, e.g. amrinone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/496 Non-condensed piperazines containing further heterocyclic rings, e.g. rifampin, thiothixene or sparfloxacin
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/506 not condensed and containing further heterocyclic rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/5377 not condensed and containing further heterocyclic rings, e.g. timolol
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/55 having seven-membered rings, e.g. azelastine, pentylenetetrazole
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/551 having two nitrogen atoms, e.g. dilazep
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/695 Silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/04 for ulcers, gastritis or reflux esophagitis, e.g. antacids, inhibitors of acid secretion, mucosal protectants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/16 for liver or gallbladder disorders, e.g. hepatoprotective agents, cholagogues, litholytics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/18 for pancreatic disorders, e.g. pancreatic enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/06 Antiasthmatics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/08 of the prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/12 of the kidneys
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/00 Drugs for genital or sexual disorders for disorders of sex hormones A61P5/24; Contraceptives
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• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/00 : Drugs for skeletal disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/02 : for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/04 : for non-specific disorders of the connective tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/08 : for bone diseases, e.g. rachitism, Paget's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/10 : for osteoporosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 21/00 : Drugs for disorders of the muscular or neuromuscular system
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• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 : Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/02 : for peripheral neuropathies
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/04 : Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
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• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/18 : Antipsychotics, i.e. neuroleptics; Drugs for mania or schizophrenia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 : for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 : Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/06 : Antiglaucoma agents or miotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 : Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/10 : for hyperglycaemia, e.g. antidiabetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 : Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/12 : Antivirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/18 : for HIV
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 : Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/02 : specific for leukemia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/00 : Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/02 : Immunomodulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/06 : Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 37/08 : Antiallergic agents antiasthmatic agents A61P11/06; ophthalmic antiallergics A61P27/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 : Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/00 : Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/02 : Antithrombotic agents; Anticoagulants; Platelet aggregation inhibitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/00 : Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/04 : Inotropic agents, i.e. stimulants of cardiac contraction; Drugs for heart failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/10 : for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 9/12 : Antihypertensives
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 471/04 : Ortho-condensed systems
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 519/00 : Heterocyclic compounds containing more than one system of two or more relevant hetero rings condensed among themselves or condensed with a common carbocyclic ring system not provided for in groups C07D453/00 or C07D455/00
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 7/0805 : comprising only Si, C or H atoms

Abstract

The present invention relates to inhibitors of protein kinases. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disorders.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting JAK-3, ROCK, or Aurora kinase activity in a biological sample comprising the step of contacting said biological sample with a compound of formula (I):

2. The method of claim 1, wherein R², R³, and R⁴ are each independently hydrogen, R′

, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, —

N(R′

)₂, —

CH₂N(R′

)₂, —

OR′

, —

CH₂OR′

, —

SR′

, —

CH₂SR′

, —

COOR′

, —

NR′

COR′

, —

NR′

COCH₂R′

, or —

NR′

CO(CH₂)₂R′

, —

CON(R)₂, —

SO₂N(R′

)₂, —

CONR′

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

CONR′

(CH₂)₃N(R′

)₂, —

CONR′

(CH₂)₄N(R′

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₂OR′

, —

O(CH₂)₃OR′

, —

O(CH₂)₄OR′

, —

O—

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

O—

(CH₂)₃N(R′

)₂, or —

O—

(CH₂)₄N(R′

)₂.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein R², R³, and R⁴ are each independently —

Cl, —

Br, —

F, —

CN, —

COOH, —

COOMe, —

NH₂, —

N(CH₃)₂, —

N(Et)₂, —

N(iPr)₂, —

O(CH₂)₂OCH₃, —

CONH₂, —

COOCH₃, —

OH, —

CH₂OH, —

NHCOCH₃, —

SO₂NH₂, —

SO₂N(Me)₂, or an optionally substituted group selected from C₁-C₄ alkyl, C₁-C₄ alkyloxy, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a) R², R³, and R⁴ are each hydrogen;

b) one of R², R³, or R⁴ is hydrogen;

c) two of R², R³, or R⁴ is hydrogen;

d) R² and R⁴ are both hydrogen, and R³ is halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, or V—

R′

;

e) R² and R⁴ are both hydrogen, and R³ is an optionally substituted group selected from a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

f) R² and R⁴ are both hydrogen, and R³ is an optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

or

g) R² and R⁴ are both hydrogen, and R³ is an optionally substituted ring selected from phenyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, thienyl, furyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, pyrazinyl, thiadiazolyl, or oxadiazolyl.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein R², R³, and R⁴ are each optionally substituted with z occurrences of R⁶, wherein z is 0-5 and R⁶ is ═

O, ═

NR″

, ═

S, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, or Z—

R″

, wherein Z is a bond or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ alkylidene chain, wherein up to two methylene units of the chain are optionally and independently replaced by —

NR″

—

, —

S—

, —

O—

, —

CS—

, —

CO₂—

, —

OCO—

, —

CO—

, —

COCO—

, —

CONR″

—

, —

NR″

CO—

, —

NR″

CO₂—

, —

SO₂NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂—

, —

CONR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

CONR″

—

, —

OCONR″

—

, —

NR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂NR″

—

, —

SO—

, —

SO₂—

, —

PO—

, —

PO₂—

, or —

POR″

—

, and each occurrence of R″

is independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ aliphatic group, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

or two occurrences of R″

are taken together with the atom(s) to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic or bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein z is 0, 1, 2, or 3, and each occurrence of R⁶ is independently hydrogen, R″

, —

CH₂R″

, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, —

N(R″

)₂, —

CH₂N(R″

)₂, —

OR″

, —

CH₂OR″

, —

SR″

, —

CH₂SR″

, —

COOR″

, —

NR″

COR″

, —

NR″

COOR″

, —

CON(R″

)₂, —

SO₂N(R″

)₂, —

CONR″

(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

CONR(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

CONR″

(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₂OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₃OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₄OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

CH(CH₂OH)R″

, —

NR″

CH(CH₂CH₂OH)R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₄R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)OR″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂OR″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃OR″

, or —

NR″

(CH₂)₄OR″

.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein z is 1, 2, or 3 and each occurrence of R⁶ is independently —

F, —

Cl, —

Br, —

CN, —

OH, —

NH₂, —

CH₂OH, C₁-C₆ alkyl, —

C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

CH₂O(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

CO(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

COO(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

NHSO₂(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

SO₂NH₂, —

CONH₂, —

CON(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

SO₂(C₁-C₆ alkyl), —

SO₂phenyl, phenyl, benzyl, —

N(C₁-C₆ alkyl)₂, or —

S(C₁-C₆ alkyl), wherein each of the foregoing phenyl, benzyl, and C₁-C₆ alkyl groups is independently and optionally substituted, and wherein each of the foregoing C₁-C₆ alkyl groups is linear, branched, or cyclic.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein compounds have one of formulae I-A, I-B, I-C, I-D, or I-E:

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each occurrence of R⁵ is independently hydrogen, R′

, —

CH₂R′

, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, —

N(R)₂, —

CH₂N(R′

)₂, —

OR′

, —

CH₂OR′

, —

SR′

, —

CH₂SR′

, —

COOR′

, —

NR′

COR′

, —

NR′

COCH₂R′

, —

NR′

CO(CH₂)₂R′

, —

NR′

COOR′

, —

CON(R)₂, —

SO₂N(R′

)₂, —

CONR′

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

CONR(CH₂)₃N(R′

)₂, —

CONR′

(CH₂)₄N(R′

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₂OR′

, —

O(CH₂)₃OR′

, —

O(CH₂)₄OR′

, —

O—

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₃N(R′

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₄N(R′

)₂, —

NR′

CH(CH₂OH)R′

, —

NR′

CH(CH₂CH₂OH)R′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)R′

, —

NR(CH₂)₂R′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)₃R′

, —

NR(CH₂)₄R′

, —

NR(CH₂)N(R)₂, —

NR′

(CH₂)₂N(R)₂, —

NR′

(CH₂)₃N(R′

)₂, —

NR′

(CH₂)₄N(R′

)₂, —

NR′

(CH₂)OR′

, —

NR(CH₂)₂OR′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)₃OR′

, or —

NR′

(CH₂)₄OR′

.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one occurrence of R⁵ is an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ aliphatic group, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein x is 1 or 2, and each occurrence of R⁵ is independently halogen, R′

, —

CN, —

CH₂CN, —

(CH₂)₂CN, —

NO₂, —

CH₂NO₂, —

(CH₂)₂NO₂, —

CON(R′

)₂, —

CH₂CON(R′

)₂, —

(CH₂)₂CON(R′

)₂, —

COOR′

, —

CH₂COOR′

, —

(CH₂)₂COOR′

, —

SO₂N(R′

)₂, —

CH₂SO₂N(R′

)₂, —

(CH₂)₂SO₂N(R)₂, —

NR′

SO₂R′

, —

CH₂NR′

SO₂R′

, —

(CH₂)₂NR′

SO₂R′

, —

NR′

CON(R)₂, —

CH₂NR′

CON(R)₂, —

(CH₂)₂NR′

CON(R)₂, —

NR′

SO₂N(R)₂, —

CH₂NR′

SO₂N(R)₂, —

(CH₂)₂NR′

SO₂N(R)₂, —

COCOR′

, —

CH₂COCOR′

, —

(CH₂)₂COCOR′

, —

N(R′

)₂, —

CH₂N(R′

)₂, —

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

OR′

, —

CH₂OR′

, —

(CH₂)₂OR′

, —

NR′

COR′

, —

NR′

COCH₂R′

, —

NR′

CO(CH₂)₂R′

, —

CH₂NR′

COR′

, or —

(CH₂)₂NR′

COR′

.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein R⁵ is optionally substituted with y occurrences of R⁷, wherein y is 0-5 and R⁷ is ═

O, ═

NR″

, ═

S, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, or W—

R″

, wherein W is a bond or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ alkylidene chain, wherein up to two methylene units of the chain are optionally and independently replaced by —

NR″

—

, —

S—

, —

O—

, —

CS—

, —

CO₂—

, —

OCO—

, —

CO—

, —

COCO—

, —

CONR″

—

, —

NR″

CO—

, —

NR″

CO₂—

, —

SO₂NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂—

, —

CONR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

CONR″

—

, —

OCONR″

—

, —

NR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂NR″

—

, —

SO—

, —

SO₂—

, —

PO—

, —

PO₂—

, or —

POR″

—

, and each occurrence of R″

is independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ aliphatic group, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

or two occurrences of R″

, are taken together with the atom(s) to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic or bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein y is 0, 1, 2, or 3, and each occurrence of R⁷ is independently hydrogen, R″

, —

CH₂R″

, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, —

N(R″

)₂, —

CH₂N(R″

)₂, —

OR″

, —

CH₂OR″

, —

SR″

, —

CH₂SR″

, —

COOR″

, —

NR″

COR″

, —

NR″

COOR″

, —

CON(R″

)₂, —

SO₂N(R″

)₂, —

CONR″

(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

CONR(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

CONR″

(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₂OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₃OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₄OR″

, —

O(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

O(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

CH(CH₂OH)R″

, —

NR″

CH(CH₂CH₂OH)R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₄R″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)₄N(R″

)₂, —

NR″

(CH₂)OR″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₂OR″

, —

NR″

(CH₂)₃OR″

, or —

NR″

(CH₂)₄OR″

.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one occurrence of R⁵ is —

N(R)₂, —

NR′

CH(CH₂OH)R′

, —

NR′

CH(CH₂CH₂OH)R′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)R′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)₂R′

, —

NR′

(CH₂)N(R′

)₂, —

NR′

(CH₂)₂N(R′

)₂, —

OR′

, —

NR′

COR′

, —

NR′

COCH₂R′

, or —

NR′

CO(CH₂)₂R′

; and

R′

is a C₁-C₆ aliphatic group or a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

or two occurrences of R′

are taken together with the atom(s) to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic or bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein each occurrence of R′

is optionally substituted with y occurrences of R⁷, wherein y is 0-5 and R⁷ is ═

O, ═

NR″

, ═

S, halogen, —

CN, —

NO₂, or W—

R″

, wherein W is a bond or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ alkylidene chain, wherein up to two methylene units of the chain are optionally and independently replaced by —

NR″

—

, —

S—

, —

O—

, —

CS—

, —

CO₂—

, —

OCO—

, —

CO—

, —

COCO—

, —

CONR″

—

, —

NR″

CO—

, —

NR″

CO₂—

, —

SO₂NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂—

, —

CONR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

CONR″

—

, —

OCONR″

—

, —

NR″

NR″

—

, —

NR″

SO₂NR″

—

, —

SO—

, —

SO₂—

, —

PO—

, —

PO₂—

, or —

POR″

—

, and each occurrence of R″

is independently hydrogen or an optionally substituted C₁-C₆ aliphatic group, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;

or two occurrences of R″

, are taken together with the atom(s) to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic or bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein R′

is hydrogen, C₁-C₆ alkyl optionally substituted with 1-3 occurrences of R⁷, or is a 5-10-membered monocyclic or bicyclic saturated, partially unsaturated or fully unsaturated ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein the ring is optionally substituted with 1-3 occurrences of R⁷.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein R′

is hydrogen, C₁-C₄ alkyl optionally substituted with 1-3 occurrences of R⁷, or is a ring selected from;

17. The method of claim 1, wherein R⁵ is —

N(R)₂ and the two occurrences of R′

are taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-10-membered monocyclic or bicyclic heterocyclic ring, wherein the ring is selected from;

18. The method of claim 1, wherein R² and R⁴ are each independently selected from —

H, —

F, —

Cl, —

Br, —

CN, —

COOH, —

COOR′

, —

NH₂, —

N(CH₃)₂, —

N(Et)₂, —

N(iPr)₂, —

NHR′

, —

OR′

, —

SR′

, —

O(CH₂)₂OCH₃, —

CONH₂, —

CONHR′

, —

CON(R′

)₂, —

OH, —

CH₂OH, —

CH₂NH₂, —

CH₂NHR′

, —

CH₂N(R′

)₂, —

C(R)₂N(R)₂, —

NHCOCH₃, —

N(R′

)COR′

, —

SO₂NH₂, —

SO₂N(Me)₂, or an optionally substituted group selected from C₁-C₆ aliphatic, C₁-C₆ alkyloxy, a 3-8-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated monocyclic ring having 0-3 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or an 8-12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring system having 0-5 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein R² and R⁴ are each hydrogen.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein R³ is selected from —

H, —

F, —

Cl, —

Br, —

CN, —

COOH, —

COOMe, —

NH₂, —

N(R)₂, —

NO₂, —

OR′

, —

CON(R)₂, —

COOR′

, —

OH, —

SR′

, —

C(R)₂OR′

, —

N(R′

)COR′

, —

N(R′

)C(O)OR′

, —

SO₂NH₂, —

SO₂N(R′

)₂, or an optionally substituted group selected from C₁-C₄ aliphatic, C₁-C₄ alkyloxy or C═

C—

C₁-C₄ aliphatic.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein R¹, R², and R⁴ are hydrogen, and R³ is selected from —

Cl, —

Br, —

CN, or an optionally substituted C₁-C₄ aliphatic.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein R¹, R² and R⁴ are hydrogen and R³ is selected from —

H, —

OR′

, —

NR′

C(O)R′

, —

NR′

C(O)OR′

, —

CON(R)₂ or —

COOMe.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein x is 2, 3 or 4 and at least two R⁵ on adjacent ring members are R′

, and wherein said two R⁵ are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form an optionally substituted 3-12 membered saturated, partially saturated or fully unsaturated monocyclic or bicyclic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the compound of formula I is selected from