Lim kinase inhibitors

A method of treating a condition in a patient, wherein modulating a LIM kinase is medically indicated, comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of a compound of formula (I)

• wherein
• R1 is halo, cyano (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, or (C2-C6)alkynyl, wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• n1=0, 1, or 2;
• ring A is a 6-membered saturated ring comprising one or two nitrogen atoms, wherein the nitrogen atoms are disposed at the positions of ring A bonded to linker L, or to ring B when L is a direct bond, and to the ring system Ar;
• or ring A is a 5- or 6-membered aryl ring, a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl ring, or a fused 6:5 heteroaryl ring system;
• ring A is substituted with n2 R2 groups, wherein R2 is halo, halo(C1-C6)alkyl, cyano, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, or (C2-C6)alkynyl, wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• n2=0, 1, or 2;
• L is a direct bond between ring A and ring B, or L is N(R3)C(═O)N(R3), wherein each R3 is independently H or (C1-C6)alkyl, wherein the R3 alkyl can be substituted with hydroxyl, (C1-C6)alkoxyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)alkylamino, or a 4- to 7-membered heterocyclyl ring;
• ring B is a 5- or 6-membered aryl ring, a 5-membered or a 6-membered heteroaryl ring, or a fused 6:5 heteroaryl ring system;
• ring B is substituted with n4 R4 groups, wherein R4 is halo, cyano, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkoxycarbonyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkoxycarbonyl, R′NHC(═O), or R′2NC(═O), wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

A compound of formula (I)

• wherein
• R1 is halo, cyano (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, or (C2-C6)alkynyl, wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• n1=0, 1, or 2;
• ring A is a 6-membered saturated ring comprising one or two nitrogen atoms, wherein the nitrogen atoms are disposed at the positions of ring A bonded to linker L, or to ring B when L is a direct bond, and to the ring system Ar;
• or ring A is a 5- or 6-membered aryl ring, a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl ring, or a fused 6:5 heteroaryl ring system;
• ring A is substituted with n2
• R2 groups, wherein R2 is halo, halo(C1-C6)alkyl, cyano, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, or (C2-C6)alkynyl, wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• n2=0, 1, or 2;
• L is a direct bond between ring A and ring B, or L is N(R3)C(═O)N(R3), wherein each R3 is independently H or (C1-C6)alkyl, wherein the R3 alkyl can be substituted with hydroxyl, (C1-C6)alkoxyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)alkylamino, or a 4- to 7-membered heterocyclyl ring;
• ring B is a 5- or 6-membered aryl ring, a 5-membered or a 6-membered heteroaryl ring, or a fused 6:5 heteroaryl ring system;
• ring B is substituted with n4 R4 groups, wherein R4 is halo, cyano, (C1-C6)alkyl, (C2-C6)alkenyl, (C2-C6)alkynyl, (C1-C6)alkoxy, (C1-C6)alkoxycarbonyl, (C3-C7)cycloalkoxycarbonyl, R′NHC(═O), or R′2NC(═O), wherein any alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl can be unsubstituted or substituted;
• wherein any one or two methylene groups thereof can be substituted with any of an independently selected NR′, S, O, C(═S), C(═O), OC(═O), OC(═O)O, OC(═O)NR′, C(═O)C(═O), SO2NR′, S(O), S(O)2, or C(═O)NR′NR′, wherein each independently selected R′ is H or (C1-C6)alkyl or (C3-C7)cycloalkyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.