Dopamine D4 ligands for the treatment of novelty-seeking disorders

A method of treating or preventing a novelty-seeking disorder in a subject in need thereof, said novelty-seeking disorder selected from pathological gambling, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity disorder, and sex addition1 comprising administering to the subject:

• an amount of a compound having the formula:
• wherein Ar is phenyl, naphthyl, benzoxazolonyl, indolyl, indolonyl, benzimidazolyl, quinolyl, furyl, benzofuryl, thienyl, benzothienyl, oxazolyl, benzoxazolyl;
• Ar1 is phenyl, pyridinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, benzisoxazolyl, or benzisothiazolyl;
• A is O, S, SO, SO2, C═O, CHOH, or —(CR3R4)—;
• n is 0, 1 or 2;
• each of Ar and Ar1 may be independently and optionally substituted with one to four substituents independently selected from the groups consisting of fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, cyano, nitro, thiocyano, —SR, —SOR, —SO2R, —NHSO2R, —(C1-C6)alkoxy, —NR1R2, —NRCOR1, —CONR1R2, Ph, —COR, COOR, —(C1-C6)alkyl, —(C1-C6)alkyl substituted with one to six halogens, —(C3-C6)cycloalkyl, and trifluoromethoxy;
• each and every R, R1, and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —(C1-C6)alkyl, —(C1-C6)alkyl substituted with one to thirteen halogens selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine, phenyl, benzyl, —(C2-C6)alkenyl, —(C3-C6)cycloalkyl, and , —(C1-C6)alkoxy;
• each and every R3 and R4 is independently selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and i-propyl;
• diastereomeric and optical isomers thereof;
• and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.