Benzimidazole cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

A compound of formula I:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
• Ar is a 6-membered monocyclic aromatic ring having two N atoms;
• and
• said heteroaryl being connected to the nitrogen atom on the benzimidazole through a carbon atom on the heteroaryl ring;
• X1 is independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, (C1-C4 alkoxy)C1-C4 alkyl, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, [N-(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, N—(C1-C4 alkanoyl)amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)-N—(C1-C4 alkanoyl)amino, N—[(C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, N-[(halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, C1-C4 alkanoyl, carboxy, (C1-C4 alkoxy)carbonyl, carbamoyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, cyano, nitro, mercapto, (C1-C4 alkyl)thio, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfinyl, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl and [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl;
• X2 is independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, (C1-C4 alkoxy)C1-C4 alkyl, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, [N—C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, N—(C1-C4 alkanoyl)amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)-N—(C1-C4 alkanoyl)amino, N—[(C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, N-[(halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, C1-C4 alkanoyl, carboxy, (C1-C4 alkoxy)carbonyl, carbamoyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, N-carbamoylamino, cyano, nitro, mercapto, (C1-C4 alkyl)thio, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfinyl, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl and [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl;
• R1 is selected from
• hydrogen;
• straight or branched C1-C4 alkyl optionally substituted with one to three substituent(s) wherein said substituents are independently selected from halo, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino and N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino;
• C3-C8 cycloalkyl optionally substituted with one to three substituent(s) wherein said substituents are independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino and N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino;
• C4-C8 cycloalkenyl optionally substituted with one to three substituent(s) wherein said substituents are independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino and N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino;
• phenyl optionally substituted with one to three substituent(s) wherein said substituents are independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy-substituted C1-C4 alkyl, (C1-C4 alkoxy)C1-C4 alkyl, halo-substituted C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]C1-C4 alkyl, N—(C1-C4 alkanoyl)amino, N—[(C1-C4 alkyl)(C1-C4 alkanoyl)]amino, N—[(C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, N-[(halo-substituted C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl]amino, C1-C4 alkanoyl, carboxy, (C1-C4 alkoxy)carbonyl, carbamoyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]carbonyl, cyano, nitro, mercapto, (C1-C4 alkyl)thio, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfinyl, (C1-C4 alkyl)sulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, [N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl and [N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino]sulfonyl;
• and
• R2 and R3 are independently selected from:
• hydrogen;
• halo;
• C1-C4 alkyl;
• phenyl optionally substituted with one to three substituent(s) wherein said substituents are independently selected from halo, C1-C4 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkoxy, amino, N—(C1-C4 alkyl)amino and N,N-di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino;
• or R1 and R2 can form, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, a C3-C7 cycloalkyl ring;
• m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5;
• and
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4.