Benzimidazoles that are useful in treating male sexual dysfunction

A method of treating male erectile dysfunction in a male mammal comprising administering to said mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I)

• a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, or amide thereof, wherein
• A is a selected from the group consisting of
• X is selected from the group consisting of NH, O and S;
• L is selected from the group consisting of CH2, CH2CH2, CH2CH2CH2 and CH2CH2CH2CH2;
• R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxy, alkenyl, alkyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkylthio, alkynyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, carboxy, cyano, formyl, halogen, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, mercapto, nitro, —NZ1Z2, (NZ1Z2)carbonyl and (NZ1Z2)sulfonyl wherein Z1 and Z2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl and formyl;
• RA, RB, RC and RD are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxy, alkenyl, alkyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkylthio, alkynyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, carboxy, cyano, formyl, halogen, haloalkoxy, haloalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, mercapto, nitro, —NZ1Z2 and (NZ1Z2)carbonyl;
• RE is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, heterocyclecarbonyl and (NZ1Z2)carbonyl;
• RF is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl;
• Z is selected from the group consisting of N, C and CH;
• and
• --- is a bond when Z is C and --- is absent when Z is N or CH.