Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinylalkyl phosphonic acid compounds for treatment of neurotoxic injury

A method to prevent excitatory amino acid induced neurotoxic injury in a subject, which method comprises administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR130## wherein each of A and B is an acidic moiety selected to contain at least one acidic hydrogen atom and wherein said acidic moiety is independently selected from carboxylic acid, phosphorus oxo acids, sulfur acids, thiophosphorus oxo acids and the amide, ester and salt derivatives of said acids;
• wherein each of Y.sub.m and Y.sub.n is a group independently selected from one or more of alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, aryl, and aralkyl, any one of which groups may be substituted at any substitutable position with one or more groups selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, oxo, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkoxyalkyl, aralkoxy, aralkylthio, cyano, cyanoamino, nitro, alkanoyl, aroyl, mercapto, alkylthio, arylthio, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl and amino and amido radicals of the formula ##STR131## wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is independently selected from hydrido, alkyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aralkyl and aryl;
• wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 taken together, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 taken together may form a heterocyclic group having five to seven ring members including the nitrogen atom of said amino or amido radical and which heterocyclic group may be saturated or partially unsaturated;
• wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 taken together and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together may form an aromatic heterocyclic group having five ring members including the nitrogen atom of said amino or amido radical;
• wherein each of m and n is a number independently selected from zero to five, inclusive;
• wherein each x and T is one or more groups independently selected from hydrido, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, oxo, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkoxyalkyl, aralkoxy, aralkylthio, cyano, cyanoamino, nitro, alkanoyl, mercapto, alkylthio, arylthio, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl and amino and amido radicals of the formula ##STR132## wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 is independently selected from hydrido, alkyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, aralkyl and aryl;
• and wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 taken together, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 taken together may form a heterocyclic group having five to seven ring members including the nitrogen atom of said amino or amido radical and which heterocyclic group may be saturated or partially unsaturated;
• wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 taken together and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together may form an aromatic heterocyclic group having five ring members including the nitrogen atom of said amino or amido radical;
• provided A is a phosphorous oxo acid, and the amide, ester and salt derivatives thereof, when B is a carboxylic acid, and the alkyl ester and salt derivatives thereof;
• or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof.