Apaf-1 inhibitor compounds

A compound of formula (I)

• or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein:
• R1 is —(CH2)0-3-aryl,
• R2 is selected from —C1-5 alkyl, —C2-5 alkenyl, —(CH2)0-3-cycloalkyl, —(CH2)1-3-heterocycle, —(CH2)0-3-aryl, —(CH2)0-3-heteroaryl, —(CH2)1-2—CH(aryl)2, —(CH2)1-2—CH(aryl)(heteroaryl) and —(CH2)1-2—CH(heteroaryl)2,
• R3 is selected from —H, —C1-5 alkyl, —C2-5 alkenyl, —(CH2)0-3-cycloalkyl, —(CH2)1-3-heterocycle, —(CH2)1-3-aryl, —(CH2)1-3-heteroaryl, —(CH2)1-3—CONR5R6, —(CH2)1-2—CH(aryl)2, —(CH2)1-2—CH(aryl)(heteroaryl) and —(CH2)1-2—CH(heteroaryl)2,
• R4 is selected from —H, —C1-5 alkyl, —(CHR7)1-3—CO—NR5R6, —(CHR7)1-3—CO—OR5, —(CH2)1-3—NR5R6, —(CH2)1-3—CO[NCHR7CO]mNH2 and —(CH2)1-3—CO[NCHR7CO]mOR5,
• n is an integer selected from 1 and 2;
• m is an integer selected from 1, 2 and 3;
• R5 and R6 are independently selected from —H, —C1-5 alkyl and —(CH2)0-3-aryl,
• R7 is selected from —H, —C1-5 alkyl, —(CH2)1-3-aryl and —(CH2)1-3-heteroaryl, such that when m is greater than 1 the R7 substituents can be equal to or different from one another,
• wherein the C1-5 alkyl, C2-5 alkenyl, cycloalkyl and heterocycle groups can be optionally substituted with one or several substituents selected independently from halogen, OH, OR5, OCF3, SH, SR5, NH2, NR5R6, NHCOR5;
• COOH, COOR5, OCOR5, aryl and heteroaryl,
• wherein the aryl and heteroaryl groups can be optionally substituted with one or several substituents selected independently from halogen, CF3, OH, ORS, OCF3, SH, SR5, NH2, NHCOR5;
• NO2, CN, COR5, COOR5, OCOR5, CONR5R6, —(CH2)0-3NR5R6, SO2NH2, NHSO2CH3, C1-5 alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl,
• wherein the heterocycle and heteroaryl groups can be optionally substituted on a secondary nitrogen atom with C1-5 alkyl, cycloalkyl or —(CH2)0-3-aryl,
• on the condition that when R2 is 2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl, R4 is —CH2—CO—NH2 and n is 1, then:
• if R1 is 2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl, R3 is not 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl, 2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl or 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl, and
• if R1 is 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl, R3 is not 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl or 2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl.