Diarylmethyl and related compounds

A method of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, the method comprising administering to a patient in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula II:

• wherein
• R4 is a divalent group of the formula:
• (R4a)d-(A11)e-(R4b)f-Q-(Rac)g-(A2)h-(R4d)j-
• wherein
• d, e, f, g, h and i are each independently selected from 0 and 1;
• R4a, R4b, R4c and R4d are each independently selected from (1-10C)alkylene, (2-10C)alkenylene and (2-10C)alkynylene, wherein each alkylene, alkenylene or alkynylene group is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 5 substituents independently selected from (1-4C)alkyl, fluoro, hydroxy, phenyl and phenyl-(1-4C)alkyl;
• A1 and A2 are each independently selected from (3-7C)cycloalkylene, (6-10C)arylene, —O-(6-10C)arylene, (6-10C)arylene-O—, (2-9C)heteroarylene, —O-(2-9C)heteroarylene, (2-9C)heteroarylene-O— and (3-6C)heterocyclene, wherein each cycloalkylene is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents selected independently from (1-4C)alkyl, and each arylene, heteroarylene or heterocyclene group is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents independently selected from halo, (1-4C)alkyl, (1-4C)alkoxy, —S-(1-4C)alkyl, —S(O)-(1-4C)alkyl, —S(O)2-(1-4C)alkyl, —C(O)O(1-4C)alkyl, carboxy, cyano, hydroxy, nitro, trifluoromethyl and trifluoromethoxy;
• Q is selected from a bond, —O—, —C(O)O—, —OC(O)—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O)2—, —N(Qa)C(O)—, —C(O)N(Qb)-, —N(Qc)S(O)2—, —S(O)2N(Qd)-, —N(Qe)C(O)N(Qf)-, —N(Qg)S(O)2N(Qh)-, —OC(O)N(Qi)-, —N(Qj)C(O)O— and —N(Qk);
• Qa, Qb, Qc, Qd, Qe, Qf, Qg, Qh, Qi, Qj and Qk are each independently selected from hydrogen, (1-6C)alkyl, A3 and (1-4C)alkylene-A4, wherein the alkyl group is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from fluoro, hydroxy and (1-4C)alkoxy;
• or together with the nitrogen atom and the group R4b or R4c to which they are attached, form a 4-6 membered azacycloalkylene group;
• A3 and A4 are each independently selected from (3-6C)cycloalkyl, (6-10C)aryl, (2-9C)heteroaryl and (3-6C)heterocyclyl, wherein each cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents selected independently from (1-4C)alkyl and each aryl, heteroaryl or heterocyclyl group is unsubstituted or substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents independently selected from halo, (1-4C)alkyl and (1-4C)alkoxy;
• provided that the number of contiguous atoms in the shortest chain between the two nitrogen atoms to which R4 is attached is in the range of from 4 to 16;
• R6 is —NR6aCR6b(O) or —CR6cR6dOR6e and R7 is hydrogen;
• or R6 and R7 together form —NR7aC(O)—CR7b═CR7c—, —CR7d═CR7e—C(O)—NR7f—, —NR7gC(O)—CR7hR7i—CR7jR7k— or —CR7lR7m—CR7nR7o—C(O)—NR7p—;
• each of R6a, R6b, R6c, R6d and R6e is independently hydrogen or (1-4C)alkyl;
• and
• each of R7a, R7b, R7c, R7d, R7e, R7f, R7g, R7h, R7i, R7j, R7k, R7l, R7m, R7n, R7o and R7p is independently hydrogen or (1-4C)alkyl;
• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or stereoisomer thereof.