PPAR agonists

A compound, having a formula

• or a salt thereof, wherein:
• Z is R1L1C(O)—, or a carboxyl bioisostere;
• R1 is hydrogen, aliphatic, OR1A, —NR1AR1B, —C(O)R1A, —S(O)2R1A, —S(O)2NR1AR1B or —C(O)NR1AR1B;
• each of R1A, R1B R3a and R3b independently is hydrogen or aliphatic;
• L1 is a bond or —NR30—, where R30 is H;
• L2 is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, arylene, heteroarylene, cycloalkylene, or heterocycloalkylene;
• X is O;
• ring A is phenyl;
• ring B is selected from a cycloalkylene, heterocycloalkylene, arylene or heteroarylene;
• each R2 independently is aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, cyano, NO2, OH, or amino or two adjacent R2 groups form a fused ring system with ring B;
• L3′ is —C(O)—;
• L3 is C1-C5alkylene;
• L4 is selected from a bond, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, arylene, heteroarylene, cycloalkylene, or heterocycloalkylene;
• R3 is selected from —OH, —OR3A, —NR3AR3B, —C(O)R3A, —S(O)2R3A, —C(O)OR3A, —S(O)2NR3AR3B, or —C(O)NR3AR3B, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl;
• each R22 independently is selected from halogen, aryl, heteroaryl, aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, cyano, NO2, OH, or amino;
• n is from 1 to 5;
• and
• m is from 0 to 4;
• with the provisos that
• if -L3N(L4R3)L3- is —CH2N(L4R3)C(O)—, L4R3 is n-propyl or isopropyl, ring A is phenyl, and n is 1 then R2 is not 4-bromo or 4-benzo[d][1,3]dioxole;
• and where the compound is not
• ethyl 6-(2-((4-bromo-N-propylbenzamido)methyl)phenoxy)hexanoate;
• ethyl 6-(2-((4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-N-propylbenzamido)methyl)phenoxy)hexanoate;
• 6-(2-((4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-N-propylbenzamido)methyl)phenoxy)hexanoic acid;
• ethyl 6-(2-((4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-N-isopropylbenzamido)methyl)phenoxy)hexanoate;
• 6-(2-((4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-N-isopropylbenzamido)methyl)phenoxy)hexanoic acid.