Compounds having selective activity for retinoid X receptors, and means for modulation of processes mediated by retinoid X receptors

A compound having the formula:

• wherein
• R1 and R2, each independently, represent hydrogen or lower alkyl or acyl having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• Y represents C, O, S, N, CHOH, CO, SO, SO2, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt;
• R3 represents hydrogen or lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms where Y is C or N;
• R4 represents hydrogen or lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms where Y is C, but R4 does not exist if Y is N, and neither R3 or R4 exist if Y is S, O, CHOH, CO, SO, or SO2;
• R′ and R″ represent hydrogen, lower alkyl or acyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, OH, alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms, thiol or thio ether, or amino,
• or R′ or R″ taken together form an oxo (keto), methano, thioketo, HO—N═, NC—N═, (R7R8)N—N═, R17O—N═, R17N═, epoxy, cyclopropyl, or cycloalkyl group and wherein the epoxy, cyclopropyl, and cycloalkyl groups can be substituted with lower alkyl having 1-4 carbons or halogen;
• R7 represents hydrogen or a lower alkyl having 1-6 carbons;
• R8 represents hydrogen or a lower alkyl having 1-6 carbons;
• R9 represents a lower alkyl having 1-4 carbons, phenyl, aromatic alkyl, or q-hydroxyphenyl, q-bromophenyl, q-chlorophenyl, q-florophenyl, or q-iodophenyl, where q=2-4;
• R15 represents a lower or branched alkyl having 1-12 carbons, and can be methyl only if R16 is a halogen or a lower alkyl having 1-8 carbons;
• R16 represents hydrogen, a lower alkyl having 1-8 carbons, or halogen,
• or R15 and R16 taken together form a phenyl, cyclohexyl, or cyclopentyl ring or one of the following:
• R17 represents hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-8 carbons, alkenyl (including halogen, acyl, OR7 and SR7 substituted alkenes), R9, alkyl carboxylic acid (including halogen, acyl, OR7 and SR7 substituted alkyls), alkenyl carboxylic acid (including halogen, acyl, OR7 and SR7 substituted alkenes), alkyl amines (including halogen, acyl, OR7 and SR7 substituted alkyls), and alkenyl amines (including halogen, acryl, OR7 and SR7 substituted alkenes);
• R18 represents hydrogen, a lower alkyl having 1-4 carbons, halogen, nitro, OR7, SR7, NR7R8, or (CF)nCF3;
• R19 represents hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-8 carbons, halogen, OR7;
• SR7, or (CF)nCF3;
• V is COOH, tetrazole, PO3H, SO3H, CHO, CH2OH, CONH2, COSH, COOR9, COSR9, CONHR9, or COOW where and where W is a pharmaceutically acceptable salt;
• Z, Z′, Z″, and Z′″, each independently, represent C, S, O, N, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, but is not O or S if attached by a double bond to another such Z or if attached to another such Z which is O or S, and is not N if attached by a single bond to another such Z which is N;
• n=0-3;
• and
• the dashed lines in the structures depict optional double bonds.