Diarylsulfones as 5-HT2A antagonists

A compound of formula I:

• wherein:
• m is 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• n is 0, 1 or 2;
• t is 1 or 2;
• A represents the residue of a phenyl or 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally bearing up to 2 additional substituents selected from halogen, CN, CF3, ORa, CO2Ra, CONRaRb, NRaRb and C1-4alkyl which is optionally substituted with halogen, CN, CF3, ORa, CO2Ra, CONRaRb or NRaRb;
• W represents —CR3R4—CR5R6, —CR3═CR5— or —C≡C— where R3, R4, R5, and R6 are selected from H, OH and F but not more than one of R3, R4, R5, and R6 is other than H;
• or R3 and R4 together or R5 and R6 together complete a keto group;
• or R4 and R6 together complete a cyclopropyl ring;
• E represents a chemical bond or a straight or branched alkylene chain containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, optionally incorporating an oxygen atom to form an ether linkage and optionally comprising a hydroxy substituent;
• Z is selected from H, halogen, CN, nitro, CF3, OCF3, —Ra, —ORa, —SRa, —SORa, —SO2Ra, —SO2NRaRb, —NRaRb, —NRaCORb, —NRaCO2Rb, —NRaCONRaRb, NRaSORb, NRaSO2Rb, CONHCORa, NHCH2CO2Ra, NHCH2CONRaRb, —NRaSO2NRaRb, —CORa, —CO2Ra, —CONRaRb, —CH═NORa or a five- or six-membered heteroaromatic ring optionally bearing up to 2 substituents selected from halogen, CN, CF3, C1-6alkyl, C1-6alkoxy, C1-6alkylthio, amino, C1-6alkylamino and di(C1-6)alkylamino;
• or the moiety -E-Z may combine with an adjacent R2 group as defined below;
• Ra and Rb independently represent H or a hydrocarbon group of up to 7 carbon atoms which is optionally substituted with up to 3 halogen atoms or with CN, OH, C1-4alkoxy, C1-4alkylthio, amino, C1-4alkylamino or di(C1-4)alkylamino;
• or Ra and Rb, when linked through a nitrogen atom, together represent the residue of a heterocyclic ring of 4, 5 or 6 members, optionally bearing up to 3 substituents selected from halogen, CN, CF3, oxo, OH, C1-4alkyl and C1-4alkoxy;
• each R1 independently represents halogen, CN, CF3, OCF3, C1-6 alkyl, OH, benzylthio, C1-6 alkoxy or hydroxymethyl;
• and
• each R2 independently represents halogen, CN, CONH2, C1-4alkyl or C1-4alkoxy;
• or an R2 group and the moiety -E-Z when attached to adjacent ring positions may complete a fused 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring optionally bearing up to 3 substituents selected from halogen, CN, CF3, oxo, Ra and amino;
• with the proviso that when A represents the residue of a phenyl ring and W represents —CH═CH— or —C≡C—, m is not zero and at least one R1 represents F;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or hydrate thereof.