Substituted 3,5-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazoles and their use as pharmaceutical metal chelators

A compound of formula (II)

• wherein each of R1 and R5, independently, is hydrogen;
• halogen;
• lower alkyl;
• halo-lower alkyl;
• lower alkoxy;
• halo-lower alkoxy;
• carboxyl;
• carbamoyl;
• N-lower alkylcarbamoyl;
• N,N-di- lower alkylcarbamoyl;
• or nitrile;
• each of R2 and R4, independently, is hydrogen;
• unsubstituted lower alkanoyl;
• lower alkanoyl substituted by halogen, hydroxyl, lower alkoxy, trifluoromethyl, cyclo-lower alkyl or phenyl;
• unsubstituted aroyl;
• or aroyl substituted by one or two substituents selected from lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, hydroxyl, nitro, halogen, trifluoromethyl, carboxyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl, amino, N-lower alkylamino, N,N-di-lower alkylamino, aminocarbonyl, lower alkylaminocarbonyl, di-lower alkylaminocarbonyl and nitrile;
• R3 is R6R7N—C(O)-lower alkyl;
• aryl substituted by heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl or heterocycloalkylcarbonyl:
• aryl-lower alkyl substituted by pyrrolidino;
• unsubstituted heteroaryl;
• heteroaryl substituted by one or two substituents selected from lower alkyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, carboxyl and lower alkoxycarbonyl;
• unsubstituted heteroaralkyl;
• or heteroaralkyl substituted by one or two substituents selected from lower alkyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, carboxyl and lower alkoxycarbonyl;
• and
• R6 and R7, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form an unsubstituted azaalicyclic ring;
• or an azaalicyclic ring substituted by halogen or lower alkyl;
• or a salt thereof.