Substituted pyrrolobenzimidazoles for treating inflammatory diseases

A compound having the structure ##STR16## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:

• (a) R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of (i) hydrogen, (ii) C.sub.1-5 alkyl, (iii) C.sub.1-5 alkylamino, (iv) diC.sub.1-5 alkylamino, (v) a phenyl substituted with one or more of hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, and trihaloC.sub.1-5 alkyl, and (vi) a phenylC.sub.1-5 alkyl substituted with one or more of hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, and trihaloC.sub.1-5 alkyl;
• (b) rings 1 and 2 are each independently substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1-5 alkyl, and trihaloC.sub.1-5 alkyl;
• (c) A and B are independently nitrogen or carbon, at least one of A and B being nitrogen;
• (d) D and E are nitrogen, with the proviso that (i) a double bond exists between the non-aryl carbon and either D or E, (ii) R.sub.2 is absent if the double bond exists between the non-aryl carbon and D, and (iii) R.sub.3 is absent if the double bond exists between the non-aryl carbon and E;
• and
• (e) the compound is neither 1,6-dihydro-7-(4-pyridyl)-8-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-phenylmethyl-pyrrolo[3,2-e] benzimidazole, nor 3,6-dihydro-8-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-(3-phenylpropyl)-7-(4-pyridyl)-pyrrolo[3, 2-e]benzimidazole.