Benzene compounds as antiproliferative and cholesterol lowering agents

A method of treating or preventing a disease state characterized by abnormally high levels of low density lipoprotein particles or cholesterol in the blood, or by an abnormally high level of cell proliferation, which method comprises administering to a mammalian subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition containing a compound of formula I:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or produce thereof, wherein:
• n is 2;
• R1 is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, halogen, OCF3, CF3, NO2, CN, and CO2—R8;
• R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of NO2, CN, CO2—R8 and SO2—R8;
• R4 is a member selectd from the group consisting of halogen and OCF3;
• R4 is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, OCF3, CF3, NO2, CN, and CO2—R8;
• R5 is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, halogen, OCF3, CF3, NO2, CN, and CO2—R8;
• Y is N(9);
• wherein R8 is selected from the group consisting of (C1-C6) alkyl and (C2-C6) heteroallyl and R9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or usudtituted (C1-C10)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C3-C6)alkenyl, subsituted or unsubstituted (C2-C6)heteroalyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C3-C6)heteroalkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C3-C6)alkynyl, substituted or uusubstituted (C3-C8)cycloalky;
• and
• Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted pheayl group,
• wherein said substituents are independently selected from the group consisting of OH, halogen, NH2, NH(C1-C6)alkyl, N((C1-C6)alkyl)2, (C1-C6)alkyl, and (C1-C6)alkoxy.