Stilbene like compounds as novel HDAC inhibitors

A compound of formula (I),

• or a tautomeric form, a stereoisomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or composition thereof, wherein A represents —(CH2)n which is optionally substituted or unsubstituted by groups selected from aryl, arylalkyl and heteroaryl, which are optionally substituted, the substituents being selected from hydroxy and halogen;
• wherein R and R1 represent aryl groups which are optionally substituted;
• heteroaryl groups which are optionally substituted;
• or benzofused heteroaryl groups which are optionally substituted;
• n is an integer in the range of 1 to 8;
• wherein when n is from 2 to 8, R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, hydroxyl, or substituted or unsubstituted groups selected from the group consisting of:
• linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl groups;
• benzyloxy;
• acetyl;
• benzyloxy acetyl;
• cycloalkyl groups;
• aryl groups;
• heterocyclyl groups except piperidinyl;
• heteroaryl groups;
• and benzofused heteroaryl groups;
• wherein when n is 1, R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, hydroxyl, or substituted or unsubstituted groups selected from the group consisting of benzyloxy;
• acetyl;
• benzyloxy acetyl;
• cycloalkyl groups;
• aryl groups;
• heteroaryl groups;
• and benzofused heteroaryl groups;
• when the groups R, R1, R2 and R3 are substituted, the substituents (which are one or more) are selected from the group consisting of:
• halogens, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, azido, nitroso, amino, hydrazine, hydroxamate, formyl, alkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, acyloxy, acyloxyacyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, acylamino, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, thioalkyl, arylthio, sulfamoyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, carboxylic acid and carboxylic acid derivatives, and wherein the substituents are further optionally substituted;
• and
• whenever the groups R, R1, R2 and R3 represent substituted or unsubstituted 5 to 10 membered ring systems, the rings are monocyclic or bicyclic, saturated or partially saturated or aromatic containing 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, S and N.

A compound of formula (I),

• or a tautomeric form, a stereoisomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and composition thereof, wherein A represents —(CH2)n;
• wherein R and R1 represent phenyl groups which are optionally substituted;
• n is an integer in the range of 1 to 8;
• wherein when n is from 2 to 8, R2 and R3 represent hydrogen, hydroxyl, or substituted or unsubstituted groups selected from the group consisting of:
• linear or branched (C1-C4) alkyl groups selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl and t-butyl;
• alkoxy groups selected from the group consisting of methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, n-butoxy, isobutoxy and t-butoxy;
• benzyloxy;
• acetyl;
• benzyloxy acetyl;
• cycloalkyl groups selected from the group consisting of cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl and cyclooctyl;
• aryl groups selected from the group consisting of phenyl and naphthyl;
• heterocyclyl groups selected from the group consisting of pyrrolidinyl, thiazolidinyl, oxazolidinyl, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, and piperazinyl;
• heteroaryl groups selected from the group consisting of pyridyl, thienyl, furyl, pyrrolyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, imidazolyl, isooxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, triazolyl, thiadiazolyl, tetrazolyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl and pyridazinyl;
• and benzofused heteroaryl groups selected from the group consisting of quinoline, quinoxaline, acridine, phenazine and benzothiazole;
• wherein when n is 1, one of R2 or R3 represent —(CH2)3CONHOH, and the other one of R2 or R3 represent hydrogen;
• when the groups R, R1, R2 and R3 are substituted, the substituents (which are one or more) are selected from the group consisting of:
• halogens selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine, hydroxy, nitro, cyano, azido, nitroso, amino, hydrazine, hydroxamate, formyl, alkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, cycloalkyl, aryl, benzyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyl, acyloxy, acyloxyacyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, acylamino, alkoxycarbonyl selected from the group consisting of methoxycarbonyl and ethoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, thioalkyl, arylthio, sulfamoyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, carboxylic acid and carboxylic acid derivatives selected from the group consisting of esters, hydroxamic acid and hydroxamate, and wherein the substituents are further optionally substituted;
• and
• whenever the groups R, R1, R2 and R3 represent substituted or unsubstituted 5 to 10 membered ring systems, the rings are monocyclic or bicyclic, saturated or partially saturated or aromatic containing 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, S and N.