Inhibitors of histone deacetylase-3 useful for the treatment of cancer, inflammation, neurodegeneration diseases and diabetes

A compound of the formula:

• wherein
• is a five-membered heteroaryl ring which is optionally substituted with halo, cyano or C1-3 alkyl;
• is phenyl or heteroaryl, which may be monocyclic or bicyclic, wherein said phenyl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted with one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, oxo, cyano, R4, R6, OR4, NHR4, NR4R5, NO2 and SR4;
• R1 is naphthalenyl or quinolinyl wherein said naphthalenyl and quinolinyl groups are optionally substituted with one to two groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo, oxo, cyano, R4 and OR4;
• R2 is selected from the group consisting of NH(C═O)R6, NH(C═O)CH(CH3)R6 and NH(C═O)R4;
• R3 is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl;
• or R2 and R3 can be taken together with the atoms to which they are attached to form a 5-membered heterocyclyl group which is optionally substituted with oxo;
• each R4 is independently hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with one to three groups independently selected from the group consisting of halo, cyano and OR5;
• each R5 is independently hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl;
• R6 is
• (a) heterocyclyl, which may be monocyclic or bicyclic,
• (b) C3-6 cycloalkyl,
• (c) phenyl, or
• (d) heteroaryl, which may be monocyclic or bicyclic,
• wherein said heterocyclyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted with one to two groups independently selected from the group consisting of oxo, R4 and OR4;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.