Small molecule inhibitors of the nuclear translocation of androgen receptor for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer

A compound, or a stereoisomer, pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or ester thereof, selected from:

• a compound according to formula III
• where the bond represented by “-----” is a single or double bond,
• R20 is (a) phenyl substituted with C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, halo, or pentafluorosulfanyl,
• (b) thiophenyl substituted with C1-C3 alkyl, or (c) cycloalkyl substituted with C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl,
• R23 is (a) phenyl mono- or di-substituted with substituents selected from halo, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, pentafluorosulfanyl, cyano, —C(O)Oalkyl, or —C(O)N(H)alkyl, (b) cycloalkyl, or
• (c) heterocycloalkyl,
• R24 and R25 are absent if the bond represented by “-----” is a double bond, or R24 and R25 independently are hydrogen, deuterium, C1-C3 perhaloalkyl, halo, or cyano, or R24 and R25 together form —CH2—, and
• R26 and R27 independently are hydrogen, deuterium, or halo,
• wherein if R24-R27 are hydrogen, then R20 is not halo-substituted phenyl, and
• if R24-R27 are hydrogen and R23 is phenyl mono- or di-substituted with substituents selected from halo, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, pentafluorosulfanyl, cyano, —C(O)Oalkyl, or —C(O)N(H)alkyl, then R20 is (a) pentafluorosulfanyl-substituted phenyl, (b) thiophenyl substituted with C1-C3 alkyl, or (c) cycloalkyl substituted with C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl.