3-diarylmethylenes and uses thereof

A compound of formula I:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,
• wherein:
• B is absent or is selected from a direct bond, O, S, —CH2CH2— or —CH═CH—;
• Q is selected from —(CH2)n—, —O—, —S—, or —SO2—NR5;
• n is 0, 1, or 2;
• U is a group selected from:
• X1, X2, X3, and X4 are independently selected in each instance from hydrogen, halogen, nitro, cyano, (C1-C6)alkyl optionally substituted with —OH, (C1-C6) haloalkyl, (C1-C6)haloalkoxy, (C1-C6) haloalkylthio, —NR1R2, —OR1, —C(O)R1, —OC(O)R1, —C(O)NR1R2, —C(O) OR1, —SR1, —SO2R1, or —SO2NR1R2;
• R1 and R2 are independently selected in each instance from hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• Z1 and Z2 are independently selected in each instance from hydrogen, halogen, nitro, cyano, azido, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6) haloalkyl, (C1-C6)haloalkoxy, (C1-C6) haloalkylthio, —NR3R4, —NR3C(O)R4, —NR3C(O) OR5, —OR3, —C(O)R3, —OC(O)R3, —C(O)NR3R4, —C(O) OR3, —SR3, —SO2R3, or —SO2NR3R4;
• R3, R4 and R3 are independently selected from lower alkyl;
• R3 and R4 may be joined to form a ring;
• R5 is selected from optionally substituted lower alkyl, lower cycloalkyl, or acyl.