Chemical compounds

A compound of formula (I):

• wherein:
• A is absent or is (CH2)2;
• L is CH or N;
• M is NR1, O, S, S(O) or S(O)2;
• R1 is hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl [optionally substituted by phenyl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)} or heteroaryl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}], phenyl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, heteroaryl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, S(O)2R5, S(O)2NR6R7, C(O)R8, C(O)2(C1-6 alkyl) (such as tert-butoxycarbonyl), C(O)2(phenyl(C1-2 alkyl)) (such as benzyloxycarbonyl) or C(O)NHR11;
• R2 is phenyl (optionally substituted by halo, CN or C1-4 haloalkyl), thienyl or halothienyl;
• R3 is hydrogen or methyl;
• Rb is hydrogen or C1-3 alkyl;
• R4 is a five or six membered heterocycle containing at least one carbon atom, one to four nitrogen atoms and, optionally, one oxygen or sulphur atom,
• a ring carbon of said heterocycle R4 being optionally substituted by oxo, C1-6 alkyl [which is optionally substituted by halogen, CN, OH, C1-4 alkoxy, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) or heterocyclyl {itself optionally substituted by C1-6 alkyl [which is optionally substituted by oxo, halogen, OH, C1-4 alkoxy, OCF3, C(O)(C1-4 alkoxy), CN, C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)N(C1-4 alkyl)2, NH2, NH(C1-4 alkyl) or N(C1-4 alkyl)2], C(O)(C1-4 alkyl) [wherein the alkyl is optionally substituted by C1-4 alkoxy or fluoro], benzyl [which is optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], C(O)(C1-4 alkoxy), C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)N(C1-4 alkyl)2 or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) [wherein the alkyl is optionally substituted by fluoro]}], C2-6 alkenyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl, CN, C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(phenylC1-2 alkyl), phenyl [which is optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)] or benzyl [which is optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)];
• where possible, a ring nitrogen of said heterocycle R4 being optionally substituted by C1-6 alkyl [optionally substituted by oxo, halogen, OH, C1-4 alkoxy, OCF3, NH2, NH(C1-4 alkyl), N(C1-4 alkyl)2, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)(C1-4 alkoxy), CONH2, CONH(C1-4 alkyl), CON(C1-4 alkyl)2, cyano, aryl {optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, heteroaryl {optionally substituted by oxo, halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, heterocyclyl {optionally substituted by C1-4 alkyl, aryl [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], SO2NH(C1-4 alkyl), SO2N(C1-4 alkyl)2, CONH(C1-4 alkyl), CON(C1-4 alkyl)2, CO(C1-4 alkyl), CO(aryl) [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], SO2(aryl) [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)]}], C3-6 cycloalkyl, CO(C1-4 alkyl) [optionally substituted by halogen], CO(aryl) [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], SO2(aryl) [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], SO2(C1-4 alkyl) [optionally substituted by fluorine], COO(C1-6 alkyl), aryl [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], heteroaryl [optionally substituted by oxo, halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], CONH(C1-4 alkyl), CONH(aryl) [optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], SO2NH(C1-4 alkyl) or SO2N(C1-4 alkyl)2;
• provided that when a ring nitrogen of said heterocycle R4 is substituted by an alkyl group, said alkyl does not carry an oxo, halogen, OH, C1-4 alkoxy, OCF3, NH2, NH(C1-4 alkyl), N(C1-4 alkyl)2, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) substituent on the carbon attached to the ring nitrogen of said heterocycle R4;
• the five or six membered heterocycle R4 being optionally fused to a cyclohexane, piperidine, benzene, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine or pyrazine ring;
• the ring carbon atoms of said fused cyclohexane, piperidine, benzene, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine or pyrazine ring being optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl);
• and the nitrogen of said fused piperidine ring being optionally substituted by C1-4 alkyl [which is optionally substituted by oxo, halogen, OH, C1-4 alkoxy, OCF3, C(O)(C1-4 alkoxy), CN, C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)N(C1-4 alkyl)2, NH2, NH(C1-4 alkyl) or N(C1-4 alkyl)2], C(O)(C1-4 alkyl) [wherein the alkyl is optionally substituted by C1-4 alkoxy or halogen], benzyl [which is optionally substituted by halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, CF3, OCF3, cyano, nitro, S(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)], C(O)(C1-4 alkoxy), C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)N(C1-4 alkyl)2 or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) [wherein the alkyl is optionally substituted by fluoro];
• R5 is C1-6 alkyl [optionally substituted by halo (such as fluoro), C1-4 alkoxy, phenyl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)} or heteroaryl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}], C3-7 cycloalkyl (optionally substituted by halo or C1-6 alkyl), pyranyl, phenyl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, heteroaryl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)} or a 5- or 6-membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring {optionally substituted by S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) or C(O)(C1-4 alkyl)};
• R8 and R11 are, independently, hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl [optionally substituted by halo (such as fluoro), C1-4 alkoxy, phenyl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)} or heteroaryl {which itself optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}], C3-7 cycloalkyl (optionally substituted by halo or C1-6 alkyl), pyranyl, phenyl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, OCF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)}, heteroaryl {optionally substituted by halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, cyano, nitro, CF3, (C1-4 alkyl)C(O)NH, S(O)2NH2, C1-4 alkylthio, S(O)(C1-4 alkyl) or S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl)} or a 5- or 6-membered nitrogen containing heterocyclic ring {optionally substituted by S(O)2(C1-4 alkyl) or C(O)(C1-4 alkyl)};
• R6 and R7 are, independently, hydrogen or C1-4 alkyl;
• or together R6 and R7 join to form a 5- or 6-membered ring which is optionally substituted with C1-4 alkyl or phenyl (wherein the phenyl ring is optionally substituted by halo, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkoxy, S(O)mC1-4 alkyl, S(O)2NH2, S(O)2NH(C1-4 alkyl), S(O)2N(C1-4 alkyl)2, NHS(O)2(C1-4 alkyl), NH2, NH(C1-4 alkyl), N(C1-4 alkyl)2, NHC(O)NH2, C(O)NH2, C(O)NH(C1-4 alkyl), NHC(O)(C1-4 alkyl), CO2H, CO2(C1-4 alkyl), C(O)(C1-4 alkyl), CF3, CHF2, CH2F, CH2CF3 or OCF3);
• R9 and R10 are, independently, hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.