Novel compounds

A compound represented by formula (I):

• wherein:
• A is CH or N;
• R1 is:
• hydrogen;
• (C1-C6)alkyl;
• NR7R8(C1-C6)alkyl;
• (C1-C4)alkenyl;
• phenyl(C1-C6)alkyl wherein such phenyl ring is optionally substituted by NR15R16(C1-C6)alkyl or by N+R15R16R17(C1-C6)alkyl;
• a group —CH2(CH2)nOH;
• a group —(CH2)nCONR5R6;
• a group —(CH2)nSO2NR5R6;
• a group —CH2—(CH2)nNR5SO2R6;
• a group —(CH2)t—(C6H4)—SO2(C1-C4)alkyl;
• a group —(CH2)rSO2(C1-C4)alkyl wherein such (C1-C4)alkyl is optionally substituted by a group —NR15R16 or —N+R15R16R17;
• a group —SO2-phenyl wherein such phenyl ring is optionally substituted by NR7R8(C1-C6)alkyl;
• and
• a group —(CH2)n-W wherein W is a 5 or 6-membered heteroaryl ring which is optionally substituted by a group —SO2(C1-C4)alkyl;
• n is 1, 2 or 3;
• t is zero, 1, 2 or 3;
• r is zero, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• R5 is hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, NR16R15(C1-C6)alkyl, or N+R17R15R16(C1-C6)alkyl;
• R6 is hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• R7 is hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, —SO2(C1-C4)alkyl, or NR16R15(C1-C6)alkyl;
• R8 is hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• or, alternatively, R7 and R8, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a (C5-C7)heterocycloalkyl ring system which is optionally substituted by one or more groups (C1-C6)alkyl and oxo;
• R16 is hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• R15 is hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• R17 is hydrogen or (C1-C6)alkyl;
• R2 is hydrogen or —SO2R4, wherein R4 is optionally substituted (C1-C6)alkyl, hydroxyl(C1-C6)alkyl, amino, mono- or di(C1-C4)alkylamino, wherein (C1-C4)alkyl may be optionally substituted, optionally substituted (C3-C6)-cycloalkyl, halogen, or optionally substituted phenyl;
• R14 is a group cyano or a group —C(O)—XR3;
• X is —O—, —(CH2)—, or —NH—;
• R3 is:
• hydrogen;
• (C1-C6)alkyl;
• a group of formula -[Alk1]-Z, wherein
• Alk1 is a (C1-C4)alkylene radical and
• Z is:
• (i) —NR9R10, wherein R9 and R10 are independently hydrogen, optionally substituted (C1-C6)alkyl or an optionally substituted (C3-C6)cycloalkyl group, or, taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, form an optionally substituted monocyclic (C5-C7)heterocyclic ring which may contain a further heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S;
• or
• (ii) —N+R11R12R13, wherein R11, R12 and R13 are each independently optionally substituted (C1-C6)alkyl or optionally substituted (C3-C6)cycloalkyl group;
• or any two of R11, R12 and R13, taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, form an optionally substituted monocyclic
• (C5-C7)heterocyclic ring which may contain a further heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S and the other of R11, R12 and R13 is an optionally substituted (C1-C6)alkyl or an optionally substituted (C3-C6)cycloalkyl group;
• or
• a radical of formula —(CH2)q-[Q]—(CH2)p Z wherein Z is as above defined, q is an integer ranging from zero to 3, p is an integer ranging from zero to 3 and Q represents a divalent group selected from the group consisting of —O—, optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted (C5-C7)heterocycloalkylene, optionally substituted (C3-C6)cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted pyridinylene;
• wherein if one or more groups —(C1-C6)alkylN+R11R12R13 or —(C1-C6)alkylN+R15R16R17 are present, they form quaternary salts with a pharmaceutically acceptable counter ion;
• and
• wherein groups R5, R6, R7, R8, R15, R16, R17, and n may assume the same or different meanings at each occurrence, if present in more than one group;
• with the proviso that the compound of formula (I) is not:
• 5-(4-cyanophenyl)-2-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-7-methyl-3-oxo-8-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,3,5,8-tetrahydro[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acid methyl ester;
• 5-(4-cyanophenyl)-2,7-dimethyl-3-oxo-8-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,3,5,8-tetrahydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acid 2-dimethylaminoethyl ester;
• {2-[5-(4-cyanophenyl)-2,7-dimethyl-3-oxo-8-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,3,5,8-tetrahydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidine-6-carbonyloxy]ethyl}-trimethylammonium;
• or
• 5-(4-cyanophenyl)-2,7-dimethyl-3-oxo-8-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,3,5,8-tetrahydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylic acid;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or an N-oxide thereof.