17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 inhibitors for the treatment of androgen dependent diseases

A compound represented by the structural formula:

• wherein:
• X is CH;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of C or CH and when Y is CH, the optional covalent bond (represented by the dotted line between rings II and IV) is absent, and when Y is C, that optional covalent bond is present;
• G is (CHR4)n;
• R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, —OR4, aryl, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyloxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalklyloxy, —N(R4)2 where the two R4 moieties can be the same or different, —(CH2)n-aryl, —(CH2)n-heteroaryl, —(CH2)n-heterocyclyl and —(CH2)n-cycloalkyl, wherein each of said alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and cycloalkyl can be unsubstituted or optionally independently substituted with one or more moieties which can be the same or different, each moiety being independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —OR4, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyloxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalklyloxy, —N(R4)2 where the two R4 groups can be the same or different, —C(O)R4, and —C(O)N(R4)2 where the two R4 moieties can be the same or different;
• one of a, b, c and d in ring I represents N or N+O−, and the remaining a, b, c and d positions represent C(R1) or C(R2);
• or
• each of a, b, c, and d are independently selected from C(R1) or C(R2);
• R1 and R2 can be the same or different, each being independently selected from the group consisting of:
• H, halo, —CF3, —OR4, —C(O)R4, —OCF3, —SR4, —S(O)nR5, benzotriazol-1-yloxy, tetrazol-5-ylthio, alkynyl,
• alkenyl wherein said alkenyl can be unsubstituted or optionally substituted with halo, —OR4 or —C(O)OR4,
• alkyl wherein said alkyl can be unsubstituted or optionally substituted with halo, —OR4 or —C(O)OR4,
• —N(R4)2 where the two R4 moieties can be the same or different, —NO2, —OC(O)R5, —C(O)OR4, —CN, —N(R4)C(O)OR4,
• —SR5C(O)OR4, and —SR5N(R4)2 (provided that R5 in —SR5N(R4)2 is not —CH2—) wherein each R4 is independently selected;
• the dotted line between carbon atoms 5 and 6 represents an optional bond, such that when a double bond is present, A and B can be the same or different, each being independently selected from the group consisting of —R4, halo, —OR4, —C(O)OR4, —OC(O)OR4 or —OC(O)R4, and when no double bond is present between carbon atoms 5 and 6, A and B can be the same or different, each being independently selected from the group consisting of (H2), —(OR5)2, (H and halo), (dihalo), (H and R5), (R5)2, (H and —OC(O)R4), (H and —OR4), (═O), and (H, (═NOR4) or (—O—(CH2)p—O—) wherein p is 2, 3 or 4);
• R3 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkoxy and alkoxyalkyl;
• R4 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, aryl and aralkyl;
• R5 is alkyl or aryl;
• R6 is H or alkyl;
• n is a number from 1-4;
• and
• q is a number from 1-8.