Cyclohexyl piperazinyl methanone derivatives

A compound of formula I:

• wherein
• s is 1 or 2;
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, lower cycloalkylalkyl, lower cyanoalkyl, lower alkylsulfonylalkyl and tetrahydropyranyl;
• R1a is hydrogen or lower alkyl;
• R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower halogenalkyl, lower alkoxyalkyl and lower cyanoalkyl;
• R3 is selected from the group consisting of
• —(CH2)m-aryl, wherein m is 0, 1 or 2 and wherein the aryl ring is unsubstituted or substituted with one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzoyl, carbamoyl, lower alkylsulfonyl, lower halogenalkylsulfonyl, lower halogenalkoxy, lower cycloalkylalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl,
• —(CH2)n-heteroaryl, wherein n is 0, 1 or 2 and wherein the heteroaryl ring is unsubstituted or substituted with one or two groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzoyl, carbamoyl, lower alkylsulfonyl, lower halogenalkylsulfonyl, lower halogenalkoxy, lower cycloalkylalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl,
• indanyl, 1-oxo-indanyl,
• —CO—(C3-C8)-alkyl,
• —CO—(CH2)p-aryl, wherein p is 0, 1 or 2 and wherein the aryl ring is unsubstituted or substituted with one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzoyl, lower halogenalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl,
• —CO—(CH2)q-heteroaryl, wherein q is 0, 1 or 2 and wherein the heteroaryl ring is unsubstituted or substituted with one or two groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzoyl, lower halogenalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl, and
• —CO—NR4R5;
• or
• R2 and R3 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring that is condensed with a phenyl ring, said phenyl ring being unsubstituted or substituted by one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, lower alkoxy and halogen;
• R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower halogenalkyl, lower alkoxyalkyl and lower cyanoalkyl;
• R5 is selected from the group consisting of
• lower alkyl,
• aryl unsubstituted or substituted with one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzyoyl, lower halogenalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl, and
• lower arylalkyl wherein the phenyl ring may be unsubstituted or substituted with one or two groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, lower halogenalkyl, cyano, lower alkoxy, lower alkanoyl, benzoyl, lower halogenalkoxy and lower hydroxyalkyl;
• or
• R4 and R5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered heterocyclic ring optionally containing a further heteroatom selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, a sulfinyl group or a sulfonyl group, said heterocyclic ring being unsubstituted or substituted by one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, halogen, halogenalkyl, cyano, hydroxy, lower hydroxyalkyl, lower alkoxy, oxo, phenyl, benzyl, pyridyl and carbamoyl, or being condensed with a phenyl ring, said phenyl ring being unsubstituted or substituted by one, two or three groups independently selected from lower alkyl, lower alkoxy and halogen;
• and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.