Compounds that are ERK inhibitors

A compound of formula (1):

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of
• A is selected from the group consisting of triazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, tetrazolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, and imidazolidinyl;
• B is selected from the group consisting of
• wherein R3 is selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) alkyl, (b) aryl, (c) —C(O) —(C1-C6)alkyl, (d) —SR18, (e) —C(O)—(C3-C6)cycloalkyl, (f) —N(R18)2, (g) —NH—C(O) —R18, (h) —NH—S(O)2R18, (i) —C(O) —N(R20)2 and (j) ═O, m is 0 to 3, and n is 1 to 3, and X is selected from the group consisting of —NR5—, O, S, SO, SO2 and C;
• R4 is selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) —(C1-C2)alkylene-aryl, (2) —C(O)-aryl, (3) -(C1-C2)alkylene-heteroaryl, (4) —(C1-C2)alkylene-(fused heteroarylaryl), (5) —(C1-C2)alkylene-C(O)-heterocycloalkyl, (6) fused (arylcycloalkyl), (7) —(C1-C2)alkylene-cycloalkyl, (8) —(C1-C2)alkylene-(bridgedheterocycloalkyl), (9) —C(O)—(C1-C2)alkylene-aryl, and (10) —C(O)—(C1-C2)alkylene-aryl;
• and wherein said R4 groups are optionally substituted with 1 to 5 substitutents independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) alkyl, (b) alkoxy, (c) halo, (d) —O-alkylene-O-alkyl, (e) —O-alkylene-CN, (f) —O-(halo substituted alkyl), (g) —NH2, (h) —O—(C3-C6)cycloalkyl, (i) —S-alkyl, (j) —N(R22)2, (k) —C(O)—(C1-C4)alkyl, (1) —C(O)—N(R18)2, (m) cycloalkyl, (n) —CF3, (o) —CF2, and (p) —CF;
• and wherein said fused heteroarylaryl moiety of (4) is a fused monocyclic heteroaryl ring fused to an aryl ring, said heterocycloalkyl moiety of (5) is a monocyclic ring, said fused (arylcycloalkyl) in (6) is a monocyclic aryl ring fused to a monocyclic cycloalkyl ring, and said heterocycloalkyl moiety of (8) (not including the bridge) is a monocyclic ring;
• and provided that when R4 is substituted, and when the alkylene group of said R4 group (1), (3), (4), (5), (7), or (8) is substituted, then the alkylene carbon bound to the nitrogen of the B ring for said R4 groups (1), (3), (4), (5), (7), and (8) is not substituted with a heteroatom;
• each R5 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) H, (2) (C1-C4)alkyl, (3) —C(O)—(C1-C4)alkyl, and (4) —C(O)—N(R18)2;
• each R6 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) alkyl, (2) cycloalkyl, (3) —CF3, (4) —CF2, and (5) —CF;
• each R8 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) H, (2) alkyl, and (3) cycloalkyl;
• each R10 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) alkyl, (2) cycloalkyl, and (3) —N(R18)2;
• each R12 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) alkyl, and (2) cycloalkyl;
• each R14 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) H, (2) alkyl, and (3) cycloalkyl;
• each R16 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) alkyl, and (2) cycloalkyl;
• each R18 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) H, (2) (C1-C4)alkyl, and (3) (C3-C6)cycloalkyl;
• each R20 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• (1) H, and (2) (C1-C4) alkyl;
• and (3) wherein each R20 can be taken together, along with the nitrogen to which they are bonded, to form a heterocycloalkyl ring, wherein said heterocycloalkyl ring is optionally substituted with 1-2 independently selected halo atoms;
• and
• each R22 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• alkyl.