Inhibitors of serine proteases, particularly HCV NS3-NS4A protease

A compound of formula I:

• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• Ar is a 5- to 10-membered aromatic ring having up to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, S, N(H), SO, and SO2, wherein 1 to 3 ring atoms are optionally and independently substituted with J;
• R1 and R2 are independently:
• (C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl-,
• [(C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl]-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-(C1-C12)aliphatic-,
• (C6-C10)-heteroaryl-(C1-C12)aliphatic-,
• wherein up to 3 aliphatic carbon atoms in R1 and R2 may be replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, N, NH, S, SO, or SO2 in a chemically stable arrangement;
• wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently and optionally substituted at each substitutable position with up to 3 substituents independently selected from J;
• R3 and R3′ are independently hydrogen or (C1-C12)-aliphatic, wherein any hydrogen is optionally replaced with halogen;
• wherein any terminal carbon atom of R3 is optionally substituted with sulfhydryl or hydroxy;
• or R3 is phenyl or —CH2phenyl, wherein said phenyl group is optionally substituted with up to 3 substituents independently selected from J;
• or
• R3 and R3′ together with the atom to which they are bound is a 3 - to 6-membered ring having up to 2 heteroatoms selected from N, NH, O, SO, and SO2;
• wherein the ring has up to 2 substituents selected independently from J;
• R4 and R4′ are independently:
• hydrogen-,
• (C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl-,
• (C3-C10)-cycloalkyl-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-,
• (C3-C10)-heterocyclyl-;
• or
• (C5-C10)-heteroaryl-;
• wherein up to two aliphatic carbon atoms in R4 and R4′ may be replaced by a heteroatom selected from O, N, S, SO, and SO2;
• wherein each of R4 and R4′ is independently and optionally substituted with up to 3 substituents independently selected from J;
• W is:
• wherein
• each R6 is independently:
• hydrogen-,
• (C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-(C1-C12)aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl-,
• [(C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl]-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-heterocyclyl-,
• (C3-C10)-heterocyclyl-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C5-C10)heteroaryl-, or
• (C5-C10)heteroaryl-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-, or
• two R6 groups, which are bound to the same nitrogen atom, form together with that nitrogen atom, a (C3-C10)-heterocyclic ring;
• wherein R6 is optionally substituted with up to 3 J substituents;
• T is:
• wherein T is optionally substituted with up to 3 J substituents;
• and
• J is halogen, —OR′, —NO2, —CN, —CF3, —OCF3, —R′, oxo, thioxo, 1,2-methylenedioxy, 1,2-ethylenedioxy, ═N(R′), ═N(OR′), —N(R′)2, —SR′, —SOR′, —SO2R′, —SO2N(R′)2, —SO3R′, —C(O)R′, —C(O)C(O)R′, —C(O)CH2C(O)R′, —C(S)R′, —C(S)OR′, —C(O)OR′, —C(O)C(O)OR′, —C(O)C(O)N(R′)2, —OC(O)R′, —C(O)N(R′)2, —OC(O)N(R′)2, —C(S)N(R′)2, —(CH2)0-2NHC(O)R′, —N(R′)N(R′)COR′, —N(R′)N(R′)C(O)OR′, —N(R′)N(R′)CON(R′)2, —N(R′)SO2R′, —N(R′)SO2N(R′)2, —N(R′)C(O)OR′, —N(R′)C(O)R′, —N(R′)C(S)R′, —N(R′)C(O)N(R′)2, —N(R′)C(S)N(R′)2, —N(COR′)COR′, —N(OR′)R′, —C(═NH)N(R′)2, —C(O)N(OR′)R′, —C(═NOR′)R′, —OP(O)(OR′)2, —P(O)(R′)2, —P(O)(OR′)2, or —P(O)(H)(OR′);
• R′ is:
• hydrogen-,
• (C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-cycloalkyl- or cycloalkenyl-,
• [(C3-C10)-cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl]-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-,
• (C6-C10)-aryl-(C1-C12)aliphatic-,
• (C3-C10)-heterocyclyl-,
• (C6-C10)-heterocyclyl-(C1-C12)aliphatic-,
• (C5-C10)-heteroaryl-, or
• (C5-C10)-heteroaryl-(C1-C12)-aliphatic-;
• wherein R′ is optionally substituted with up to 3 J groups;
• wherein two R′ groups bound to the same atom form a 3 - to 10-membered aromatic or non-aromatic ring having up to 3 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O, S, SO, or SO2, wherein said ring is optionally fused to a (C6-C10)aryl, (C5-C10)heteroaryl, (C3-C10) cycloalkyl, or a (C3-C10)heterocyclyl, wherein any ring has up to 3 substituents selected independently from J.