Cytokine inhibiting imidazole substituted hydroxamic acid derivatives

A compound according to the formula ##STR8## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, hydroxy, optionally substituted C.sub.1-6 alkyl, optionally substituted C.sub.1-6 alkenyl, phenyl, optionally substituted phenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl-, R.sub.7 --S(O).sub.n C.sub.1-6 -alkyl-;

• n is 0 or an integer having a value of 1 or 2;
• R.sub.7 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl, phenyl, phenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkyl carbonyl, or phenacyl, all of which may be optionally substituted one to four time independently from C1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy, thio C.sub.1-6 alkyl, amino, halogen, CF.sub.3 or nitro;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkenyl, phenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, cycloalkyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, or cycloalkenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen or methyl;
• R.sub.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, cyclopropyl, an amino acid residue, optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted phenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl-, optionally substituted --C.sub.1-6 -alkyl-oxy C.sub.1-6 alkyl, optionally substituted --C.sub.1-6 alkyl oxy C.sub.1-6 alkyl phenyl, or an optionally substituted --C.sub.1-6 alkyl oxy phenyl;
• wherein the phenyl or benzyl moiety is independently substituted one to four times by halogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, hydroxy, thiol, C.sub.1-6 alkylthio-, --NR.sub.12 R.sub.13, --NHR.sup.a, --NO.sub.2, --C(O).sub.2 R.sub.14, --C(O).sub.2 NR.sub.12 R.sub.13, cyanoamino, R.sub.14 C(O)--O--, C.sub.1-6 alkyl OH, C.sub.1-6 alkyl-C(O).sub.2 R.sub.14, C.sub.1-6 alkyl-oxy-C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C(O)C.sub.1-6 alkylNR.sub.12 R.sub.13, or C.sub.1-6 alkyl-(O).sub.2 C--R.sub.14 ;
• R.sup.a is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, or the side chain of an amino acid,
• R.sub.14 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroarylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, or heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl;
• R.sub.5 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-6 alkyl;
• R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are independently hydrogen, halogen, CF.sub.3, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl, arylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl, (CHR.sub.8)m' OH, (CHR.sub.8)m C(O).sub.2 R.sub.10, (CHR.sub.8)m C(OH)(R.sub.9).sub.2, (CR.sub.8 R.sub.9)-OH, C(O)R.sub.11, C(O)NR.sub.12 R.sub.13, C(O).sub.2 R.sub.10, or NO.sub.2 ;
• or R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 can together form a fused C 2-4 alkylene, aryl or heteroaryl moiety;
• m is 0 or an integer having a value of 1 or 2;
• m' is an integer having a value of 1, 2, or 3;
• R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-4 alkyl or phenyl;
• R.sub.10 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl C.sub.1- alkyl, C.sub.5-7 cycloalkenyl, arylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroarylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen, hydroxyl, --C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, -thioC.sub.1-6 alkyl, or CF3;
• R.sub.11 is hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.5-7 cycloalkenyl, aryl, arylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl all of which may be optionally substituted by halogen, hydroxyl, --C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, -thioC.sub.1-6 alkyl, or CF.sub.3 ;
• R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 are independently hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl, C.sub.3-7 cycloalkyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl, arylC.sub.1-6 alkyl, heteroaryl, heteroaryl C.sub.1-6 alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic C.sub.1-6 alkyl or R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 may together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a 5 to 7 membered ring which may additionally contain another heteroatom selected from O/N/or S;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.