Collagen Stimulators and Their Use in the Treatment of Skin

A method for enhancing the production of collagen in human skin comprising topically applying to an area of the skin in need thereof a topical composition comprising a cosmetically acceptable vehicle, and an effective amount of a compound having the structure of Formula I(a):

• wherein,
• Q represents a 3-6 membered heterocyclic ring, wherein L1 and L2 are independently selected from a bond or a group ε1-(L3)l-ε2, where “l” is an integer from 0 to 4;
• where L3 is selected from —CH2—, —CHR*—, —C(R*)2—, —CH—, —CR*—, or a bond;
• and ε1 and ε2 are independently selected from —N—, —NH—, —NRN—, —O—, —S—, —(C═O)—, or a bond;
• Y is selected from —CH—, —CR*—, —CHR*—, —C(R*)2—, —N—, —O—, —S—, —NRN—, or a bond (i.e. absent);
• Z1 represents a bond, —CH2—, or —(C═O)—;
• Z2 represents a bond, —O—, NH—, —NRN—, —CH2—, —CHR*—, —C(R*)2—, —(CH2)p—, —(CH2)p—NH, or —(CH2)p—NRN—, where p is an integer from 1-6;
• X1 represents —CH2—, —CHR*—, —C(R*)2—, —NH—, —NRN—, —O—, or —S—;
• X2 and X3 represents nitrogen, —CH—, or —CR*—;
• R1-R5 are independently selected, at each occurrence, from a group R;
• wherein R is selected from hydrogen, —F;
• —Cl;
• —Br, —I;
• —OH, —OR*;
• —NH2;
• —NHR*;
• —N(R*)2;
• —N(R*)3+;
• —N(R*)—OH;
• —N(→O)(R*)2;
• —O—N(R*)2;
• —N(R*)—O—R*;
• —N(R*)—N(R*)2;
• —C═N—R*;
• —N═C(R*)2;
• —C═N—N(R*)2;
• —C(═NR*)—N(R*)2;
• —SH;
• —SR*;
• —CN;
• —NC;
• —(C═O)—R*;
• —CHO;
• —CO2H;
• —CO2−;
• —CO2R*;
• —(C═O)—S—R*;
• —O—(C═O)—H;
• —O—(C═O)—R*;
• —S—(C═O)—R*;
• —(C═O)—NH2;
• —(C═O)—N(R*)2;
• —(C═O)—NHNH2;
• —O—(C═O)—NHNH2;
• —(C═S)—NH2;
• —(C═S)—N(R*)2;
• —N(R*)—CHO;
• —N(R*)—(C═O)—R*;
• —(C═NR)—O—R*;
• —O—(C═NR*)—R*, —SCN;
• —NCS;
• —NSO;
• —SSR*;
• —N(R*)—C(═O)—N(R*)2;
• —N(R*)—C(═S)—N(R*)2;
• —SO2—R*;
• —O—S(═O)2—R*;
• —S(═O)2—OR*;
• —N(R*)—SO2—R*;
• —SO2—N(R*)2;
• —O—SO3−;
• —O—S(═O)2—OR*;
• —O—S(═O)—OR*;
• —O—S(═O)—R*;
• —S(═O)—OR*;
• —S(═O)—R*;
• —NO;
• —NO2;
• —NO3;
• —O—NO;
• —O—NO2;
• —N3;
• —N2—R*;
• —N(C2H4);
• —Si(R*)3;
• —CF3;
• —O—CF3;
• —PR*2;
• —O—P(═O)(OR*)2;
• —P(═O)(OR*)2;
• perfluoroalkyl;
• an aliphatic C1-C12 hydrocarbon radical;
• a C1-C12 aromatic hydrocarbon radical;
• or a C1-C12 heteroaryl radical;
• where R* is independently at each occurrence hydrogen or a straight chained, branched, or cyclic C1-C20 hydrocarbon radical, which may be saturated, partially saturated, or aromatic, each of which may be optionally substituted with 1-6 heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or halogen;
• RN is hydrogen or a saturated, partially saturated, or aromatic C1-C20 hydrocarbon radical, optionally substituted with 1-6 heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or halogen;
• and cosmetically acceptable salts thereof.