Deacetylase inhibitors

A method for regulating p21 promoter which comprises introducing a compound of the formula (I)

• wherein
• R1 is H, halo, or a straight chain C1–C6 alkyl;
• R2 is selected from H, C1–C10 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, —(CH2)nC(O)R6, —(CH2)nOC(O)R6, amino acyl, HON—C(O)—CH═C(R1)-aryl-alkyl and —(CH2)nR7;
• R3 and R4 are the same or different and independently H, C1–C6 alkyl, acyl or acylamino, or R3 and R4 together with the carbon to which they are bound represent C═O, C═S, or C═NR8, or R2 together with the nitrogen to which it is bound and R3 together with the carbon to which it is bound can form a C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, a heteroaryl, a polyheteroaryl, a non-aromatic polyheterocycle, or a mixed aryl and non-aryl polyheterocycle ring;
• R5 is selected from H, C1–C6 alkyl, C4 C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, acyl, aryl heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, aromatic polycycle, non-aromatic polycycle, mixed aryl and non-aryl polycycle, polyheteroaryl, non-aromatic polyheterocycle, and mixed aryl and non-aryl polyheterocycle;
• n, n1, n2 and n3 are the same or different and independently selected from 0–6, when n1 is 1–6, each carbon atom can be optionally and independently substituted with R3 and/or R4;
• X and Y are the same or different and independently selected from H, halo, C1–C4 alkyl, NO2, C(O)R1, OR9, SR9, CN, and NR10R11;
• R6 is selected from H, C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, OR12, and NR13R14;
• R7 is selected from OR15, SR15, S(O)R16, SO2R17, NR13R14, and NR12SO2R6;
• R8 is selected from H, OR15, NR13R14, C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, and heteroarylalkyl;
• R9 is selected from C1–C4 alkyl and C(O)-alkyl;
• R10 and R11 are the same or different and independently selected from H, C1–C4 alkyl, and —C(O)-alkyl;
• R12 is selected from H, C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkylalkyl, aryl, mixed aryl and non-aryl polycycle, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, and heteroarylalkyl;
• R13 and R14 are the same or different and independently selected from H, C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, amino acyl, or R13 and R14 together with the nitrogen to which they are bound are C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, polyheteroaryl, non-aromatic polyheterocycle or mixed aryl and non-aryl polyheterocycle;
• R15 is selected from H, C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl and (CH2)mZR12;
• R16 is selected from C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, polyheteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl and (CH2)mZR12;
• R17 is selected from C1–C6 alkyl, C4–C9 cycloalkyl, C4–C9 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, aromatic polycycle, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, polyheteroaryl and NR13R14;
• m is an integer selected from 0 to 6;
• and
• Z is selected from O, NR13, S and S(O);
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, into the environment of a mammalian cell.