Derivatives of 1-phenyl-2-pyridinyl alkyl alcohols as phosphodiesterase inhibitors

A compound of formula (I):

• wherein:
• Z is selected from the group consisting of (CH2)m;
• (CH2)nO;
• O(CH2)p;
• CH2SO2;
• CHNR6;
• CH2NR6;
• NR6;
• OCOR4R5;
• and CR4R5,
• wherein m=0, 1, or 2;
• n=1, 2, or 3;
• p=0, 1, 2 or 3;
• R4 is independently selected from H or a linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl, optionally substituted by a (C1-C4) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• R5 is independently selected from the group consisting of linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• phenyl;
• benzyl;
• NH2;
• and HNCOOR′, wherein R′ is linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• R6 is H or a linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• R1 and R2 are the same or different and are each independently selected from the group consisting of H;
• linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl, optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from halogen, (C3-C7) cycloalkyl and (C5-C7) cycloalkenyl;
• (C3-C7) cycloalkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• (C5-C7) cycloalkenyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• linear or branched (C2-C6) alkenyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• and linear or branched (C2-C6) alkynyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• R3 is one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of H, CN, NO2, CF3 and a halogen atom;
• A is a group selected from the group consisting of phenyl, pyridyl, imidazolyl, dihydro-imidazolyl, naphthyl, benzimidazolyl, quinolinyl, and indolyl, each of which may be optionally substituted with one or more Rx groups, wherein each Rx may be the same or different and each Rx is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl optionally substituted by one or more (C3-C7) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• linear or branched (C2-C6) alkenyl optionally substituted by one or more (C3-C7) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• linear or branched (C2-C6) alkynyl optionally substituted by one or more (C3-C7) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• (C5-C7) cycloalkenyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• phenyl;
• (C3-C7) heterocycloalkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• OR7, wherein R7 is selected from the group consisting of:
• H;
• (C1-C10) alkyl optionally substituted by one or more (C3-C7) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• (C3-C7) cycloalkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• (C1-C4) alkylene-(C3-C7) heterocycloalkyl;
• CO (C1-C6) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• COO (C1-C6) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• phenyl;
• benzyl;
• (C1-C10) alkylene-NR8R9, wherein R8 and R9 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked form a saturated, partially saturated, or unsaturated ring, optionally substituted by (C1-C4) alkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• a halogen atom;
• CN;
• NO2;
• NR10R11, wherein R10 and R11 may be the same or different and are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
• H;
• linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl, optionally substituted with phenyl or (C3-C7) cycloalkyl or one or more halogen atoms;
• COC6H5;
• CO—(C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• COO—(C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• CONH—(C1-C6) alkylene-R12, wherein R12 is selected from the group consisting of H;
• (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• and OR4R5;
• and
• CONH(C1-C4) alkylene-N(C1-C4) alkyl;
• or R10 and R11 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are linked form a saturated or partially saturated ring;
• (C1-C4) alkylene-NR10R11;
• COR12, wherein R12 is phenyl or linear or branched (C1-C6) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• oxo;
• HNSO2R13, wherein R13 is (C1-C4) alkyl, which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or a phenyl optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms or with a (C1-C4) alkyl group;
• SO2R14, wherein R14 is (C1-C4) alkyl, OH, or NR10R11 wherein R10 and R11 are as defined above;
• SOR15, wherein R15 is phenyl or (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• SR16, wherein R16 is H, phenyl, or (C1-C4) alkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms;
• COOR17, wherein R17 is H, (C1-C4) alkyl, which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms, phenyl, or benzyl;
• and
• (CH2)qOR18, wherein q=1, 2, 3, or 4 and R18 is H or (C1-C4) cycloalkyl which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms,
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a N-oxide of the pyridine ring thereof.