Pyrazolopyridyl compounds as aldosterone synthase inhibitors

A compound of the structural formula

• or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof
• wherein:
• Ring A is attached to Ring B via positions D and E and is:
• D is C;
• E is N;
• R1 is H or alkyl;
• R2 is halogen;
• —CN;
• —OR7;
• —N(R10)C(O)R7;
• —NR11R12;
• —C(O)R7;
• —C(O)N(R11)(R12);
• —C(O)OR7;
• —SO2N(R10)—R7;
• —N(R10)SO2—R7;
• —S(O)m—R7;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• R3 is H;
• halogen;
• —CN;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen or cycloalkyl optionally substituted once or twice by alkyl or halogen;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted once or twice by alkyl or halogen;
• or —C(O)OR7;
• R4 is H;
• halogen;
• —CN;
• —OR7;
• —NR8R9;
• —N(R10)C(O)R7;
• —C(O)N(R8)(R9);
• —C(O)R7;
• —C(O)OR7;
• —SO2N(R10)—R7;
• —N(R10)S(O)2—R7;
• —S(O)n—R7;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R11)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)S(O)2—R7, or —S(O)n—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR8, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7, or —S(O)m—R7;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)(R7), —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7—SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7, or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7—SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• R5 is H;
• halogen;
• —CN;
• —OR7;
• —NR8R9;
• —N(R10)C(O)R7;
• —C(O)N(R8)(R9);
• —C(O)R7;
• —C(O)OR7;
• —SO2N(R10)—R7;
• —N(R10)S(O)2—R7;
• —S(O)n—R7;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R11)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)S(O)2—R7, or —S(O)n—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)(R7), —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or R4 and R5 are joined together to form a 5-7 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring that is fused to the pyridyl ring to which R4 and R5 are attached, wherein the ring formed by R4 and R5 is optionally substituted by 1 to 3 R6;
• R6 is independently H;
• halogen;
• —CN;
• —OR7;
• —NR8R9;
• —N(R10)C(O)R7;
• —C(O)N(R7)(R8);
• —C(O)N(R8)(R9);
• —C(O)OR7;
• —SO2N(R10)—R7;
• —N(R10)SO2—R7;
• —S(O)m—R7;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7—SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)(R7), —C(O)N(R7)(R8), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7, —SO2N(R10)—R7, —N(R10)SO2—R7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• R7 is independently H;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR10, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R10, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R10;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR10, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R10, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R10;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OH, —OR10, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R10, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R10;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR10, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R9)C(O)R1, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R10;
• R8 is independently H or alkyl;
• R9 is independently H or alkyl;
• or R8 and R9 are joined together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a saturated 5- to 7-membered heterocyclic ring;
• R10 is independently H or alkyl;
• R11 is independently H;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R10;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)(R7), —C(O)N(R7)(R8), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• R12 is independently H;
• alkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• cycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —NR8R9, —CN, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR10 or —S(O)m—R1;
• aryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)(R7), —C(O)N(R7)(R8), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• heterocycloalkyl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9—N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• or heteroaryl optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, cycloalkyl, —OR7, —CN, —NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R7, —C(O)N(R8)(R9), —C(O)OR7 or —S(O)m—R7;
• a is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• n is 1 or 2;
• and
• m is 0, 1 or 2.