Pyrimidinones as melanin concentrating hormone receptor 1

A compound of formula (Ia) comprising:

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
• {circle around (A)} is aryl, optionally substituted by one to four C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, alkenyl, halo, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxy, C1-6 alkoxy, cyano, or alkylthio groups;
• a dashed line represents an optional double bond between M and L;
• q and s are 0;
• r is 1;
• and t is 0;
• Q1 is C;
• Q3 is absent;
• Q2 is S;
• R8 is selected from hydrogen, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl, C1-6, alkoxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxy, cyano, alkylthio, and halo;
• R7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxy, cyano, alkylthio, and halo;
• R5 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, and C1-6 straight or branched alkyl;
• each R6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy, trihaloalkyl, trihaloalkoxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, hydroxy, cyano, acetyl, alkylthio, and halo;
• and n is 1 to 4;
• M is selected from the group consisting of O, S, S(O)2, S(O)2NR, N—R, C(O), C(R)2, N—C(O)R, and N—S(O)2R;
• wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, phenyl, heteroaryl, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, and C3-6 cycloalkyl;
• L is C2-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, or —C(O)(CH2)—;
• (i) R1 and R2 each independently are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl, and a 5- or 6-membered heterocycle wherein said alkyl, said cycloalkyl and said heterocycle are optionally substituted by phenyl, one to four C1-3 alkyl, hydroxy, oxo, alkoxy or halo;
• or (ii) R1 and R2 may be selected from the group consisting of aryl and a 5- or 6-membered heteroaryl containing 1, 2, or 3 heteroatoms selected from N, O, and S, wherein said aryl and said heteroaryl are optionally substituted 1, 2, or 3 times with a substituent selected from halo, C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl, C1-6 alkenyl, C3-6 cycloalkenyl, hydroxy, C1-6 alkoxy, oxo, amino, C1-6 alkylamino, C1-6 dialkylamino, C1-6 alkylthio, C1-6 alkylsulfinyl, and phenyl;
• or (iii) R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a 4-8 membered heterocyclic ring or a 7-11 membered bicyclic heterocyclic ring, each of said 4-8 membered heterocyclic ring and said 7-11 membered bicyclic heterocyclic ring contain 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, and S, and wherein either said heterocyclic ring or said bicyclic heterocyclic ring may be optionally substituted by phenyl, one to four C1-3 alkyl, hydroxy, C1-3 alkoxy oxo, or halo;
• or (iv) either R1 or R2 may be independently linked either to the group L or linked to the group M when M is selected from the group consisting of S(O)2NR, N—R, C(R)2, N—C(O)R, and N—S(O)2R, and wherein R is C1-6 straight or branched alkyl, to form a 3-7 membered cyclic group which may be optionally substituted by phenyl, one to four C1-3 alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, oxo, or halo.