Compositions useful as inhibitors of protein kinases

A method of inhibiting Aurora-2, GSK-3, or Src kinase activity in:

• (a) a patient;
• or
• (b) a biological sample;
• which method comprises administering to said patient, or contacting said sample with:
• a) a compound of formula Ia:
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
• R2 is —R, oxo, halogen, —CN, —NO2, —CO2R, -T-Ar, or -T-R;
• R2′ is R, or
• R2 and R2′ are taken together to form a optionally substituted 5-7 membered, partially unsaturated or fully unsaturated ring having zero to two ring heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein:
• each substitutable ring nitrogen of the ring formed by R2 and R2′ is optionally substituted;
• each occurrence of R is independently hydrogen, an optionally substituted C1-6 aliphatic group, or Ar;
• Z1 is CRx;
• Z2 is CRy;
• Rx and Ry are taken together to form an optionally substituted 6 membered partially unsaturated or fully unsaturated carbocyclic ring;
• R1 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted C1-6 aliphatic group;
• each Ar is independently an optionally substituted 3-6 membered heterocyclic ring having one or two heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;
• or a 5 or 6 membered aryl ring having zero to three heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, wherein:
• Ar is optionally fused to a five or six membered partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated ring having zero to two heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;
• T is a C1-4 alkylidene chain wherein one methylene unit of T is optionally replaced by —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —CO2—, —NR—, —NRC(O)—, —NRC(O)NR—, —C(O)C(O)—, —OC(O)NR—, —NRCO2—, —SO2NR—, —NRSO2—, or —NRSO2NR—;
• Q is —N(R′)—, —S—, —O—, —C(R′)2—, or a valence bond, wherein
• each R′ is independently hydrogen or C1-6 aliphatic;
• and
• Ring D is a 5 or 6 membered optionally substituted monocyclic aryl ring having zero to two heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;
• or an eight to ten membered partially unsaturated or fully unsaturated bicyclic ring having zero to four heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur;
• or
• b) a composition of comprising a compound according to formula Ia, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle.