EAAT2 enhancing molecules

A compound of Formula II:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
• X1 is CH or N;
• X2 is CH or N;
• X3 is CR3 or N;
• X4 is CR4 or N;
• wherein the ring comprising X1, X2, X3, and X4 forms a pyridine ring, a pyrazine ring, or a pyrimidine ring;
• R1 is unsubstituted pyridyl;
• R2 is —(CHRE)nR5;
• R5 is selected from the group consisting of ORC, NRCRD, C(O)NRCRD, C(O)ORC, C3-10 cycloalkyl 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl, wherein the C3-10 cycloalkyl, C6-10 aryl, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl are each optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected RB groups;
• RE is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, and amino, wherein said C1-6 alkyl is optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• R3 and R4 are independently selected from H and C1-6 alkyl;
• each RB is independently selected from halo, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, CN, NO2, ORa, SRa, C(O)Rb, C(O)NRcRd, C(O)ORa, OC(O)Rb, OC(O)NRcRd, NRcRd, NRcRd, NRcC(O)Rb, NRcC(O)ORa, NRcC(O)NRcRd, C(═NRe)Rb, C(═NRe)NRcRd, NRcC(═NRe)NRcRd, NRcS(O)Rb, NRcS(O)2Rb, NRcS(O)2NRcRd, S(O)Rb, S(O)NRcRd, S(O)2Rb, and S(O)2NRcRd;
• wherein said C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, and C1-4 haloalkyl are optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• RC and RD are independently selected from H, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 6-10 membered aryl-C1-4 alkylene, 5-10 membered heteroaryl-C1-4 alkylene;
• wherein the C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 6-10 membered aryl-C1-4 alkylene, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl-C1-4 alkylene are each optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• or
• alternatively, any RC and RD attached to the same N atom, together with the N atom to which they are attached, form a 4-6 membered heterocycloalkyl group or a 5-6 membered heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted with 1, 2, or 3 independently selected R6 groups;
• each Ra, Rb, Rc, and Rd is independently selected from H, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, and 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl;
• wherein the C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, and 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl are each optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• each Re is independently selected from H, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkylthio, C1-6 alkylsulfonyl, C1-6 alkylcarbonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, carbamyl, C1-6 alkylcarbamyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)carbamyl, aminosulfonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, and di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonyl;
• each R6 is independently selected from OH, NO2, CN, halo, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, C1-6 haloalkoxy, cyano-C1-3 alkyl, HO—C1-3 alkyl, amino, C1-6 alkylamino, di(C1-6 alkyl)amino, thio, C1-6 alkylthio, C1-6 alkylsulfinyl, C1-6 alkylsulfonyl, carbamyl, C1-6 alkylcarbamyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)carbamyl, carboxy, C1-6 alkylcarbonyl, C1-6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-6 alkylcarbonylamino, C1-6 alkylsulfonylamino, aminosulfonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonyl, aminosulfonylamino, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonylamino, di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonylamino, aminocarbonylamino, C1-6 alkylaminocarbonylamino, and di(C1-6 alkyl)aminocarbonylamino;
• and
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.

A compound of Formula III:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
• X1 is CH or N;
• X2 is CH or N;
• X3 is CR3 or N;
• X4 is CR4 or N;
• wherein the ring comprising X1, X2, X3, and X4 forms a pyridine ring, a pyrazine ring, or a pyrimidine ring;
• RN is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-6 alkyl, and C(O)RN1;
• RN1 is a C6-10 aryl which is optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected halo groups;
• R1 is unsubstituted pyridyl;
• R2 is —(CHRE)nR5;
• R5 is selected from the group consisting of NRCRD, C(O)NRCRD, C(O)ORC, C3-10 cycloalkyl, C6-10 aryl, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl, wherein the C3-10 cycloalkyl, C6-10 aryl, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl are each optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected RB groups;
• RE is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, and amino, wherein said C1-6 alkyl is optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• R3 and R4 are independently selected from H and C1-6 alkyl;
• each RB is independently selected from halo, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, CN, NO2, ORa, SRa, C(O)Rb, C(O)NRcRd, C(O)ORa, OC(O)Rb, OC(O)NRcRd, NRcRd, NRcORd, NRcC(O)Rb, NRcC(O)ORa, NRcC(O)NRcRd, C(═NRe)Rb, C(═NRe)NRcRd, NRcC(═NRe)NRcRd, NRcS(O)Rb, NRcS(O)2Rb, NRcS(O)2NRcRd, S(O)Rb, S(O)NRcRd, S(O)2Rb, and S(O)2NRcRd;
• wherein said C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, and C1-4 haloalkyl are optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• RC and RD are independently selected from H, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 6-10 membered aryl-C1-4 alkylene, 5-10 membered heteroaryl-C1-4 alkylene;
• wherein the C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl-C1-4 alkylene, 6-10 membered aryl-C1-4 alkylene, and 5-10 membered heteroaryl-C1-4 alkylene are each optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• or
• alternatively, any RC and RD attached to the same N atom, together with the N atom to which they are attached, form a 4-6 membered heterocycloalkyl group or a 5-6 membered heteroaryl group, each optionally substituted with 1, 2, or 3 independently selected R6 groups;
• each Ra, Rb, Rc, and Rd is independently selected from H, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, and 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl;
• wherein the C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C3-10 cycloalkyl, 6-10 membered aryl, 5-10 membered heteroaryl, and 4-10 membered heterocycloalkyl are each optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 independently selected R6 groups;
• each Re is independently selected from H, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkylthio, C1-6 alkylsulfonyl, C1-6 alkylcarbonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, carbamyl, C1-6 alkylcarbamyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)carbamyl, aminosulfonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, and di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonyl;
• each R6 is independently selected from OH, NO2, CN, halo, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, C1-6 haloalkoxy, cyano-C1-3 alkyl, HO—C1-3 alkyl, amino, C1-6 alkylamino, di(C1-6 alkyl)amino, thio, C1-6 alkylthio, C1-6 alkylsulfinyl, C1-6 alkylsulfonyl, carbamyl, C1-6 alkylcarbamyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)carbamyl, carboxy, C1-6 alkylcarbonyl, C1-6 alkoxycarbonyl, C1-6 alkylcarbonylamino, C1-6 alkylsulfonylamino, aminosulfonyl, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonyl, di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonyl, aminosulfonylamino, C1-6 alkylaminosulfonylamino, di(C1-6 alkyl)aminosulfonylamino, aminocarbonylamino, C1-6 alkylaminocarbonylamino, and di(C1-6 alkyl)aminocarbonylamino;
• and
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.