Aryl pyridine as aldosterone synthase inhibitors

A Compound of Formula I′:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
• A is a bond, —CH2—, —CHR5—, —CR5R6— or —CR5aR6a—CR5bR6b—;
• Ring C is a phenyl;
• R1 is C1-7alkyl, haloalkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, C6-10aryl, C6-10aryl-C1-7alkyl, C6-10aryloxy-C1-7alkyl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl in which alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl are optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R7;
• R2 is H, C1-7alkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl-C1-7alkyl, hydroxy-C1-7alkyl, C1-7alkyl-OC(O)C1-7alkyl, C1-7alkoxy-C1-7alkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycyl, or C6-10aryl;
• wherein aryl and heteroaryl are optionally substituted with hydroxy, C1-7alkoxy, C1-7alkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, halo, CN or C3-7cycloalkyl;
• R3 is H, halo, C1-7alkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, cyano, C1-7alkoxy, hydroxy, nitro, —NH2, —NH(C1-7alkyl) or —N(C1-7alkyl)2;
• each R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C1-7alkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, cyano, —NH2, —NH(C1-7alkyl), —N(C1-7alkyl)2, C1-7alkoxy, halo-C1-7alkoxy, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro, sulfonyl, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, C6-10aryl, heterocyclyl, C6-10aryloxy, heterocyclyloxy, —SH, —S—C1-7alkyl, —C(O)O—C6-10aryl, —C(O)O-heterocyclyl, —C(O)O-heteroaryl, —C(O)NR2—C1-7alkyl, —C(O)NR2—C6-10aryl, —C(O)NR2-heteroaryl, —C(O)NR2-heterocyclyl, —NR2C(O)—C1-7alkyl, —NR2C(O)—C6-10aryl, —NR2C(O)-heteroaryl, —NR2C(O)-heterocyclyl, —OC(O)—C1-7alkyl, —OC(O)—C6-10aryl, —OC(O)-heteroaryl and —OC(O)-heterocyclyl;
• wherein R4 is optionally substituted with 1 to 5 R7;
• and
• two adjacent R4 groups form with the atoms to which they are attached a phenyl or a 5- or 6-membered ring heteroaryl, in which said phenyl or heteroaryl ring is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 R8;
• R5 and R6 are independently C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C6-10aryl;
• or R5 and R6 form together with the atom to which they are attached a C3-7cycloalkyl;
• R5a, R6a, R5b and R6b are independently H, C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl or C6-10aryl;
• or any two of R5a, R6a, R5b and R6b form together with the atom(s) to which they are attached a C3-7cycloalkyl;
• each R7 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C1-7alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, C1-7alkoxy, C6-10aryloxy, heterocyclyl, C6-10aryl, heteroaryl, CN and halo-C1-7alkyl;
• each R8 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, C1-7alkyl, halo-C1-7alkyl, C1-7alkoxy, CN and halo-C1-7alkoxy;
• or
• R2 and R3;
• R1 and R2;
• R1 and R5;
• R1 and R5a;
• R1 and R5b;
• R2 and R5a;
• R2 and R5b;
• R1 and R3;
• or R2 and R5 can form with the atoms to which they are attached a 4- to 7-membered heterocyclyl;
• or
• R3 and R5;
• R3 and R5b;
• or R3 and R5a can form together with the atoms to which they are attached a C5-7cycloalkyl;
• and
• wherein each heteroaryl is a monocyclic aromatic ring comprising 5 or 6 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 5 heteroatoms, and
• each heterocyclyl is a monocyclic saturated or partially saturated but non-aromatic moiety comprising 4-7 ring atoms selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 3 heteroatoms;
• and each heteroatoms being O, N or S;
• p is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, with the proviso that the compound of Formula I′ is not 2-methyl-N-(6-(5-(phenylsulfonamido)pyridin-3-yl)-1H-indazol-4-yl)thiazole-4-carboxamide.