Treatment of friedreich's ataxia using histone deacetylase inhibitors

A method of treating, or delaying the onset of Huntington's disease in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a compound of formula I in an amount effective to alter the level of histone acetylation in the mammal and increase frataxin mRNA in lymphocytes from Friedreich's ataxia patients, wherein formula I is:

• wherein:
• n is 2 to about 10;
• R1 is aryl or heteroaryl;
• R2 is aryl or heteroaryl;
• Ra and Rb are each independently H, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or a nitrogen protecting group;
• wherein any alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, amino, nitro, cyano, halo, alkyl, trifluoromethyl, alkoxy, aryl, and NRcRd;
• wherein Rc and Rd are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, or C(═O)ORe wherein Re is H or alkyl;
• or a salt thereof.