7-azaindoles, their use as inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 4, and a method for synthesizing them

A method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a 7-azaindole of the formula 1

• or a physiologically tolerated salt thereof
• wherein n is 2;
• R1 is a —C1 to —C10 linear or branched alkyl;
• which may be unsubstituted or substituted with at least one of —OH, —SH, —NH2, —NHC1 to —NHC6 alkyl,
• —N(C1 to C6-alkyl)2, —NHC6 to —NHC14 aryl, —N(C6 to C14 aryl)2, —N(C1 to C6 alkyl)(C6 to C14 aryl), —NO2, —CN, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —O—C1 to —O—C6 alkyl, —O—C6 to —O—C14 aryl, —S—C1 to —S—C6 alkyl, —S—C6 to —S—C14 aryl, —SO3H, —SO2C1 to —SO2C6 alkyl, —SO2C6 to —SO2C14 aryl, —OSO2C1 to —OSO2C6 alkyl, —OSO2C6 to —OSO2C14 aryl —COOH, —(CO)C1 to —(CO)C5 alkyl, with mono-, bi- or tri-cyclic, saturated or monounsaturated or multi-unsaturated carbocyclic compounds with 3 to 14 ring elements, with mono-, bi- or tricyclic saturated or monounsaturated or multi-unsaturated heterocyclic groups with 5 to 15 ring elements and 1 to 6 hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S, or a —C2 to —C10 alkenyl, monounsaturated, multiunsaturated, linear, branched, unsubstituted, monosubstituted or multi-substituted with at least one of —OH, —SH, —NH2, to —NHC1 to —NHC6alkyl, —N(C1 to C6-alkyl)2, —NHC6 to —NHC14aryl, —N(C6 to C14 aryl)2, —N(C1 to C6 alkyl)(C6 to C14 aryl), —NO2, —CN, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —O—C1 to —O—C6alkyl, —O—C6 to —O—C14 aryl, —S—C1 to —S—C6 alkyl, —S—C6 to —S—C14 aryl, —SO3H, —SO2C1 to —SO2C6 alkyl, —SO2C6 to —SO2C14 aryl, —OSO2C1 to —OSO2C6 alkyl, —OSO2C6 to —OSO2C14 aryl, —COOH, —(CO)C1 to —(CO)C5 alkyl, with mono-, bi- or tri-cyclic, saturated or monounsaturated or multi-unsaturated carbocyclic compounds with 3 to 14 ring elements, with mono-, bi- or tri-cyclic saturated or monounsaturated or multi-unsaturated heterocyclic groups with 5 to 15 ring elements and 1 to 6 hetero atoms selected from N, O and S, wherein said C6 to C14 aryl groups and the carbocyclic and heterocyclic substituents may optionally be substituted at least once with R4;
• R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, —C1-C5 alkyl, unsubstituted or monosubstituted or multi-substituted with —OH, —SH, —NH2, —NHC1 to —NHC6 alkyl, —N(C1 to C3-alkyl)2, —NO2, —CN, —F, —Cl, —Br—, —I, —O—C1 to —O—C6 alkyl, —S—C1 to —S—C6 alkyl, -phenyl, -pyridyl, or -phenyl, unsubstituted or monosubstituted or multi-substituted with —OH, —SH, NH2, —NHC1, to —NHC3 alkyl, —N(C1 to C3-alkyl)2, —NO2, —CN, —COOH, to —COOC1— alkyl, —F, —Cl, —Br—, —O—C1 to —O—C3 alkyl, —S—C1 to —S—C3 alkyl,
• or pyridyl, unsubstituted or monosubstituted or multisubstituted with NO2, —CN1—COOH1—COOC1 to —COOC3 alkyl, —C1, —Br, —O—C1 to —OC3 alkyl, —S—C1 to S—C3 alkyl, or
• wherein —NR2R3 can be
• R4 is —H, —OH, —NH2, —NHC1 to —NHC6 alkyl, —N(C1 to C6 alkyl)2, —NHC6 to —NHC14 aryl,
• —N(C6 to C14 aryl)2, —N(C1 to C6 alkyl)(C6 to C14 aryl), —NHCOC1 to —NHCOC6 alkyl, —NO2, —CN, —COOH, —COOC1 to —COOC6 alkyl, —(CO)C1 to —(CO)C6 alkyl, —(CS)C1 to —(CS)C6 alkyl, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —O—C1 to —O—C6 alkyl, —O—C6 to —O—C14 aryl, —S—C1 to —S—
• C6 alkyl, —S—C6 to —S—C14 aryl, —SOC1 to SOC6 alkyl, —SO2C1 to —SO2C6 alkyl
• to a subject afflicted with at least one condition selected from the group of inflammation of the joints, arthritis, arthritic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid spondylitis, and osteoarthritis to treat the condition.