α-acyl- and α-heteroatom-substituted benzene acetamide glucokinase activators

An amide selected from the group consisting of a compound of the formula:

• wherein R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen, halo, cyano, nitro, lower alkylthio, perfluoro loweralkylthio, lower alkyl sulfonyl, or perfluoro-lower alkyl sulfonyl;
• R3 a 5 to 7-membered ring which is cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, or heterocycloalkyl having one heteroatom selected from oxygen and sulfur;
• R6is an unsubstituted or mono-substituted five- or six-membered heteroaromatic ring connected by a ring carbon atom to the amide group shown, which five- or six-membered heteroaromatic ring contains from 1 to 3 heteroatoms selected from sulfur, oxygen or nitrogen, with one heteroatom being nitrogen which is adjacent to the connecting ring carbon atom;
• with said mono-substituted heteroaromatic ring being monosubstituted at a position on a ring carbon atom other than adjacent to said connecting carbon atom with a substituent selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, halo, nitro, cyano, —(CH2)n—OR9, —(CH2)n—C(O)—OR10, —(CH2)n—C(O)—NH—R11, —C(O)—C(O)—OR12, —(CH2)n—NHR13;
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12and R13 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl;
• X is oxygen, sulfur, sulfonyl or carbonyl;
• the * indicates an asymmetric carbon atom;
• and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts.