Indene derivatives as pharmaceutical agents

A method of preparing a compound of formula (78):

• wherein the method comprises:
• (a). treating a compound of formula (69):
• under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (70):
• where Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (b). treating the compound of formula (70) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (71):
• where Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (c). treating the compound of formula (71) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (72):
• where Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (d). treating the compound of formula (72) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (73):
• where Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (e). treating the compound of formula (73) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (74):
• where each Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (f). treating the compound of formula (74) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (75):
• where each Ac is —C(O)CH3 and Ms is —S(O)2CH3;
• (g). treating the compound of formula (75) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (76):
• where each Ac is —C(O)CH3;
• (h) treating the compound of formula (76) under suitable conditions to yield a compound of formula (77):
• and
• (i). treating the compound of formula (77) under suitable conditions to yield the compound of formula (78).

A method of treating an inflammatory condition or disease in a mammal, which method comprises administering to the mammal in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I):

• wherein:
• the A, C or D ring is independently fully saturated, partially saturated or fully unsaturated;
• C1, C4, C11, C12, C15 and C16 are each independently optionally substituted with one or two of the following, which are independently selected:
• hydrogen, alkyl, —R8—OR7, or —R8—N(R7)2, provided that C4 is not substituted by two methyl groups;
• C9 and C14 are each independently optionally substituted with hydrogen, alkyl, —R8—OR7, or —R8—N(R)2;
• R1 is —OR7or —N(R7)2;
• R2 and R3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of —R8—OR7, —R8—OC(O)R9, —R10—N(R7)2, —R10—N(R9)C(O)R9, —R10—N(R9)S(O)tR9 (where t is 1 or 2), —R10—N(R9)C(NR9)N(R9)2, alkyl, alkenyl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted aralkenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl and optionally substituted heteroarylalkenyl;
• R4a is hydrogen and R4b is alkenyl or alkynyl;
• or R4a and R4b are each alkyl;
• R5 is alkyl or a direct bond to the carbon at C14, provided that when R4a is hydrogen and R4b is alkenyl or alkynyl, R5 is alkyl and when R4a and R4b are both alkyl, R5 is a direct bond to the carbon at C14;
• R6 is hydrogen, —R8—OR7 or —R8—N(R7)2;
• each R7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —R10—OR9, —R10—N(R9)2, N(R9)2, alkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted aralkyl, optionally substituted heterocyclylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl and optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl;
• each R8 is independently selected from the group consisting of a direct bond, a straight or branched alkylene chain, and a straight or branched alkenylene chain;
• each R9 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl and aralkyl;
• and
• each R10 is independently selected from the group consisting of a straight or branched alkylene and a straight or branched alkenylene chain;
• as a single stereoisomer, a mixture of stereoisomers, or as a racemic mixture of stereoisomers;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, in isolation or in a mixture.