N-acylsulfonamide apoptosis promoters

A compound of formula (I):

• or a therapeutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, haloalkyl, nitro, and —NR5R6;
• R2, and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkyl, alkylsulfanyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkoxy, aryloxy, aryloxyalkoxy, arylsulfanyl, arylsulfanylalkoxy, carbonyloxy, cycloalkylalkoxy, cycloalkyloxy, halo, halolkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, nitro, and —NR5R6;
• wherein the aryl and the aryl part of the arylalkoxy, the aryloxy, the aryloxyalkoxy, the arylsulfanyl, and arylsulfanylalkoxy can be optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkanoyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkanoyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkynyl, carbonyloxy, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRaRb, oxo, and —C(NH)NH2;
• and wherein the cycloalkyl part of the cycloalkylalkoxy and the cycloalkyloxy can be optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, NH2CH2—, arylalkoxy, aryloxy, arylsulfanyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and hydroxy, wherein the aryl part of the arylalkoxy, the aryloxy, and the arylsulfanyl can be further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, alkyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and hydroxy;
• R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkylsulfanylalkyl, alkylsulfonylalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylalkylsulfanylalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, arylsulfanylalkyl, arylsulfinylalkyl, arylsulfonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkenylalkyl, cycloalkyl, (cycloalkyl)alkyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, (heterocycle)sulfanylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, a nitrogen protecting group, and —N═CR7R8;
• R7 and R8 are alkyl, or
• R7 and R8, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, form an aryl group which an be optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkanoyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkanoyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkynyl, carbonyloxy, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRaRb, oxo, and —C(NH)NH2;
• R15 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, and halo;
• a is 0-5;
• each R20 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkanoyl, alkanoylalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkylsulfanylalkyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkoxyalkanoyl, arylalkoxycarbonyl, arylalkyl, arylalkylsulfonyl, arylcarbonyl, aryloxy, arylsulfanyl, arylsulfanylalkyl, arylsulfonyl, carbonyloxy, carboxy, cyano, cyanoalkyl, cycloalkyl, (cycloalkyl)alkyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, formyl, formylalkyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRaRb, oxo, spirocycle, and —C(NH)NH2;
• wherein the aryl, the aryl part of the arylalkoxyalkanoyl, the arylalkoxycarbonyl, the arylalkyl, the arylalkylsulfonyl, the arylcarbonyl, the aryloxy, the arylsulfanyl, the arylsulfanylalkyl, and the arylsulfonyl can be optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkanoyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkanoyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, alkyl, alkynyl, carbonyloxy, cyano, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, —NRaRb, oxo, and —C(NH)NH2;
• and wherein the cycloalkyl part of the cycloalkylalkoxy and the cycloalkyloxy can be optionally substituted with one, two, three, four, or five substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, NH2CH2—, arylalkoxy, aryloxy, arylsulfanyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and hydroxy, wherein the aryl part of the arylalkoxy, the aryloxy, and the arylsulfanyl can be further optionally substituted with one, two, or three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, alkyl, halo, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, and hydroxy;
• Ra and Rb are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkanoyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxyalkoxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted arylalkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted (cycloalkyl)alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkylcarbonyl, haloalkanoyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and —CH(NH)NH2.