Novel methods for the treatment and prevention of ileus

A method of treating or preventing ileus comprising administering to a patient an effective amount of a compound of the following formula (I):

• 16
• wherein:
• R1 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• R2 is hydrogen, alkyl or alkenyl;
• R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl or aryl-substituted alkyl;
• R4 is hydrogen, alkyl or alkenyl;
• A is OR5 or NR6R7;
• wherein:
• R5 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, or aryl-substituted alkyl;
• R6 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• R7 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, aryl-substituted alkyl, aryl-substituted alkyl, or alkylene substitued B or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, R6 and R7 form a heterocyclic ring;
• B is
• 17
• C(═O)W or NR8R9;
• wherein;
• R8 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• R9 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, aryl or aryl-substituted alkyl or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, R8 and R9 form a heterocyclic ring;
• W is OR10, NR11R12, or OE;
• wherein
• R10 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, or aryl-substituted alkyl;
• R11 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• R12 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, aryl-substituted alkyl or alkylene substituted C(═O)Y or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, R11 and R12 form a heterocyclic ring;
• E is
• 18
• alkylene substituted (C═O)D, or —R13OC(═O)R14;
• wherein
• R13 is alkyl substituted alkylene;
• R14 is alkyl;
• D is OR15 or NR16R17
• wherein:
• R15 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, or aryl-substituted alkyl;
• R16 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, aryl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl or cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl;
• R17 is hydrogen or alkyl or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, R16 and R17 form a heterocyclic ring;
• Y is OR18 or NR19R20;
• wherein:
• R18 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, or aryl-substituted alkyl;
• R19 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• R20 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl, cycloalkenyl-substituted alkyl, or aryl-substituted alkyl or, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, R19 and R20 form a heterocyclic ring;
• R21 is hydrogen or alkyl;
• and
• n is 0 to 4;
• or a stereoisomer, prodrug, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate or N-oxide thereof.