Vesicular monoamine transporter-2 ligands and their use in the treatment of psychostimulant abuse

A compound of formula (I):

• wherein
• m is an integer in the range from 1 to 3;
• n is zero or an integer in the range from 1 to 5;
• R1 and R2 are independently an aryl group or a heteroaryl group and which are independently unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents;
• R3 is ═O, methyl;
• ethyl;
• propyl;
• isopropyl;
• hydroxymethyl;
• 2-hydroxyethyl;
• 1-hydroxyethyl;
• methoxymethyl;
• 2-methoxyethyl;
• 1-methoxyethyl;
• aminomethyl;
• 2-aminoethyl;
• 1-aminoethyl;
• N-methylaminomethyl;
• 2-N-methylaminoethyl;
• 1-N-methylaminoethyl;
• N,N-dimethylaminomethyl;
• 2-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl;
• 1-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl;
• carboxylate;
• methyl ester (—COOCH3), ethyl ester (—COOCH2CH3);
• propyl ester (—COOCH2CH2CH3);
• isopropyl ester (—COOCH(CH3)2);
• butylester (—COOCH2CH2CH2CH3);
• sec-butylester (—COOCH(CH3)(CH2CH3));
• tert-butylester (—COOC(CH3)3);
• amide (—CONH2);
• methyl amide (—CONHCH3), ethyl amide (—CONHCH2CH3);
• propyl amide (—CONHCH2CH2CH3);
• isopropyl amide (—CONHCH(CH3)2);
• butylamide (—CONHCH2CH2CH2CH3);
• sec-butylamide (—CONHCH(CH3)(CH2CH3));
• tert-butylamide (—CONHC(CH3)3);
• dimethyl amide (—CON(CH3)2), diethyl amide (—CON(CH2CH3)2);
• dipropyl amide (—CON(CH2CH2CH3)2);
• isopropyl amide (—CON[CH(CH3)2]2);
• dibutylamide (—CON(CH2CH2CH2CH3)2);
• di-sec-butylamide (—CON[CH(CH3)(CH2CH3)]2);
• di-tert-butylamide (—CON[C(CH3)3]2);
• methyl, ethyl, propyl, or isopropyl substituted with one or more fluoro, chloro, bromo, or iodo;
• benzyl;
• or —(CH2)a—O—(C═O)—CHR6—NH2;
• R4 is a hydrogen atom;
• a methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, or carbonyl group;
• or a methyl, ethyl, propyl or isopropyl group substituted with a hydroxyaryl group;
• carboxylate;
• methyl ester (—COOCH3), ethyl ester (—COOCH2CH3);
• propyl ester (—COOCH2CH2CH3);
• isopropyl ester (—COOCH(CH3)2);
• butylester (—COOCH2CH2CH2CH3);
• sec-butylester (—COOCH(CH3)(CH2CH3));
• tert-butylester (—COOC(CH3)3);
• or benzyl ester (—COOCH2(C6H6));
• and
• R5 is hydrogen, methyl, or ═O;
• R6 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, and C4-C7 straight chain or branched alkyl, wherein the methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, or C4-C7 straight chain or branched alkyl are unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups and substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl groups;
• a is an integer in the range from 1 to 5;
• or
• an enantiomer;
• racemate;
• or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.