Compounds for the treatment of metabolic disorders

A method for treating a mammalian subject with a condition selected from the group consisting of insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis comprising administering to the subject an amount of a biologically active agent, wherein the agent is a compound of the formula:

• wherein
• n is 1 or 2;
• m is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• q is 0 or 1;
• t is 0 or 1;
• R1 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• R2 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• one of R3 and R4 is hydrogen or hydroxy and the other is hydrogen;
• or R3 and R4 together are ═O;
• R5 is hydrogen or alkyl having one, two, three, four or five carbon atoms;
• A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from:
• halo, hydroxy, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy;
• or
• cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl;
• or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.

A pharmaceutical composition adapted for oral administration, comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and from one milligram to four hundred milligrams of a biologically active agent, wherein the agent is a compound of the formula:

• wherein
• n is 1 or 2;
• m is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• q is 0 or 1;
• t is 0 or 1;
• R1 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• R2 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• one of R3 and R4 is hydrogen or hydroxy and the other is hydrogen;
• or R3 and R4 together are ═O;
• R5 is hydrogen or alkyl having one, two, three, four or five carbon atoms;
• A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from:
• halo, hydroxy, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy;
• or
• cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl;
• or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.

A compound of the formula:

• wherein
• n is 1 or 2;
• m is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;
• q is 0 or 1;
• t is 0 or 1;
• R1 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• R2 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
• one of R3 and R4 is hydrogen or hydroxy and the other is hydrogen;
• or R3 and R4 together are ═O;
• R5 is hydrogen or alkyl having one, two, three, four or five carbon atoms;
• A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from:
• halo, hydroxy, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy;
• or
• cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl;
• or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.