Mcl-1 modulating compounds for cancer treatment

A method for treating cancer, comprising administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I) to a patient in need thereof, wherein formula (I) is:

• wherein:
• Y1, Y2 are —N═C—;
• Ar1, Ar2 are each independently selected from C6-C10 aryl or a 5 to 7 membered heteroaryl, said aryl and heteroaryl groups being optionally substituted by one to three R3 groups provided that:
• Ar1, Ar2 cannot both identically represent either a 4-pyridyl, an unsubstituted 2 or 3-thiophenyl, or a 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl or a 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl;
• R1 is selected from, C1-C6 alkyl, C6-C10 aryl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl, (C6-C10)arylcarbonyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, C(═O)H, COOH, OH said alkyl groups being optionally substituted by OH;
• R2 is selected from (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl or (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl;
• k is 0 or 1;
• l is 1;
• R3 is, at each occurrence, independently selected from C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, OH, C(═O)H, (CH2)nCO2H, (CH2)pCN, (CH2)qC(═N(OH))NH2, I, Cl, Br, F, C6-C10 aryl, and a 5 to 7 membered heteroaryl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl, said alkyl groups being optionally substituted by OH;
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• p is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• q is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• with the exclusion of the following compound:
• 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-5-(5-(pyridin-3-yl)-3-styrylpyridin-2-yl)pyridine;
• and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in admixture with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or carrier.

A compound of formula (I):

• wherein:
• Y1, Y2 are —N═C—;
• Ar1, Ar2 are each independently selected from C6-C10 aryl or a 5 to 7 membered heteroaryl, said aryl and heteroaryl groups being optionally substituted by one to three R3 groups provided that:
• Ar1, Ar2 cannot both identically represent either a 4-pyridyl, an unsubstituted 2 or 3-thiophenyl, or a 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl or a 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl;
• R1 is selected from, C1-C6 alkyl, C6-C10 aryl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl, (C6-C10)arylcarbonyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, C(═O)H, COOH, OH said alkyl groups being optionally substituted by OH;
• R2 is selected from (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl or (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl;
• k is 0 or 1;
• l is 1;
• R3 is, at each occurrence, independently selected from C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, OH, C(═O)H, (CH2)nCO2H, (CH2)pCN, (CH2)qC(═N(OH))NH2, I, Cl, Br, F, C6-C10 aryl, and a 5 to 7 membered heteroaryl, (C6-C10)aryl(C1-C6)alkyl, (C6-C10)aryl(C2-C6)alkenyl, said alkyl groups being optionally substituted by OH;
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• p is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• q is 0, 1, 2, 3;
• with the exclusion of the following compound:
• 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-5-(5-(pyridin-3-yl)-3-styrylpyridin-2-yl)pyridine and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.