Bicyclic and tricyclic heteroaromatic compounds

A compound of the formula

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,
• wherein:
• X represents N or CR1, wherein
• R1 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, or amino(C1-C6)alkyl;
• X1 represents N, CH, or C1-C6alkyl;
• Y and Z are independently hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, or amino(C1-C6) alkyl;
• or
• Y and Z together form an arylene ring or a C3-C8 cycloalkylene ring, each of which is optionally substituted with up to four groups R2 independently chosen at each occurrence from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, and amino(C1-C6)alkyl;
• W is aryl or heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or more groups RA, wherein each RA is independently
• i) halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, —SO2NH2, —SO2NH (C1-C8 alkyl), —SO2N(C1-8 alkyl) (C1-C8 alkyl), —NH(C1-C8 alkyl), —N(C1-C8 alkyl) (C1-8 alkyl), —N(C1-C8 alkyl)CO(C1-C8 alkyl), —N(C1-C8 alkyl)CO2(C1-C8 alkyl), —CONH2, —CONH(C1-C8 alkyl), —CON (C1-C8 alkyl) (C1-C8 alkyl), —CO2(C1-C8 alkyl), —S(C1-C8 alkyl), —SO(C1-C8 alkyl), or —SO2 (C1-C8 alkyl);
• ii) aryl or heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or two groups independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, and amino (C1-C6) alkyl;
• iii) C1-C8alkyl, C2-C8alkenyl, C2-C8 alkynyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl (C1-C3 alkyl), C3-C8cycloalkenyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substitutuents independently selected from hydroxy, oxo, halogen, C1-C6alkoxy, —CONH2, —CONHC1-C6alkyl, —CON(C1-C6alkyl) (C1-C6alkyl), —COOH, and —CO2C1-C6alkyl;
• or
• iv) NR4R5, wherein R4, R5 and the nitrogen to which they are attached form a monocyclic or bicyclic ring optionally containing one or more of oxo, O, S, SO, SO2, or NR6 wherein R6 is hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl, or Ar—(C1-C6alkyl) where
• Ar is aryl or heteroaryl, each of which is optionally substituted with one or two groups independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, and amino(C1-C6)alkyl;
• and
• Q is selected Formulas III, IV and V:
• wherein:
• J is N or C1-C8 alkylene;
• and
• R9 and R10 are independently hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, or Ar1, wherein Ar1 is aryl or heteroaryl, each of which may be substituted with one or two of RB, where each RB independently carries the definition of RA;
• or
• R9, R10 and the atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 8-membered monocyclic or bicyclic ring optionally containing one or more double bonds or one or more of oxo, O, S, SO, SO2, or N—R8 wherein R8 is hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, or Ar1-(C1-C8 alkyl);
• wherein Ar1 is optionally substituted with one or two of RB, where each RB independently carries the definition of RA;
• and wherein the monocyclic or bicyclic ring is optionally substituted with C1-C6 alkyl or hydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl;
• R11 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 alkanoyl, aryl(C1-C6)alkyl, and aryl(C1-C6)alkanoyl;
• and
• R12 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl, and C1-C8 alkoxy;
• or
• R11 and R12 together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 5-8 membered monocyclic ring which is optionally substituted with one or more of halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, amino, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, mono or di(C1-C6)alkylamino, or amino(C1-C6)alkyl;
• and
• n is 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• and
• W′
• (i) independently carries the same definition as W;
• (ii) represents —OR where R is C1-C8 alkyl or aryl(C1-C6) alkyl;
• or
• (iii) is M5 where M5 is hydroxy, C1-C8 alkyl, aryl(C1-C6)alkyl or —N(C1-C4 alkyl) (C1-C4 alkoxy).