DEUTERATED CFTR MODULATORS AND METHODS OF USE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field

The invention relates to deuterated modulators of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) protein, useful in treating diseases and conditions mediated and modulated by CFTR. The invention also relates to compositions containing compounds of the invention, processes for their preparation, and methods of treatment using them.

Description of Related Technology

ABC transporters are a family of homologous membrane transporter proteins regulating the transport of a wide variety of pharmacological agents (for example drugs, xenobiotics, anions, etc.) that bind and use cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for their specific activities. Some of these transporters were found to defend malignant cancer cells against chemotherapeutic agents, acting as multidrug resistance proteins (like the MDR1-P glycoprotein, or the multidrug resistance protein, MRP 1). So far, 48 ABC transporters, grouped into 7 families based on their sequence identity and function, have been identified.

ABC transporters provide protection against harmful environmental compounds by regulating a variety of important physiological roles within the body, and therefore represent important potential drug targets for the treatment of diseases associated with transporter defects, outwards cell drug transport, and other diseases in which modulation of ABC transporter activity may be beneficial.

The cAMP/ATP-mediated anion channel, CFTR, is one member of the ABC transporter family commonly associated with diseases, which is expressed in a variety of cell types, including absorptive and secretory epithelia cells, where it regulates anion flux across the membrane, as well as the activity of other ion channels and proteins. The activity of CFTR in epithelial cells is essential for the maintenance of electrolyte transport throughout the body, including respiratory and digestive tissue (Quinton, P. M., 1990. Cystic fibrosis: a disease in electrolyte transport. FASEB J. 4, 2709-2717).

The gene encoding CFTR has been identified and sequenced (Kerem, B., Rommens, J. M., Buchanan, J. A., Markiewicz, D., Cox, T. K., Chakravarti, A., Buchwald, M., Tsui, L. C., 1989. Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: genetic analysis. Science 245, 1073-1080). CFTR comprises about 1480 amino acids that encode a protein made up of a tandem repeat of transmembrane domains, each containing six transmembrane helices and a nucleotide binding domain. The pair of transmembrane domains is linked by a large, polar, regulatory (R)-domain with multiple phosphorylation sites that regulate channel activity and cellular trafficking.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in this gene which induces mutations in CFTR. Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disease in humans, and affects ˜0.04% of white individuals (Bobadilla, J. L., Macek, M., Jr, Fine, J. P., Farrell, P. M., 2002. Cystic fibrosis: a worldwide analysis of CFTR mutations—correlation with incidence data and application to screening. Hum. Mutat. 19, 575-606. doi:10.1002/humu.10041), for example, in the United States, about one in every 2,500 infants is affected, and up to 10 million people carry a single copy of the defective gene without apparent ill effects; moreover subjects bearing a single copy of the gene exhibit increased resistance to cholera and to dehydration resulting from diarrhea. This effect might explain the relatively high frequency of the CF gene within the population.

In contrast, individuals with two copies of the CF associated gene suffer from the debilitating and fatal effects of CF, including chronic lung infections.

In cystic fibrosis patients, mutations in endogenous respiratory epithelial CFTR fails to confer chloride and bicarbonate permeability to epithelial cells in lung and other tissues, thus leading to reduced apical anion secretion and disruptions of the ion and fluid transport. This decrease in anion transport causes an enhanced mucus and pathogenic agent accumulation in the lung triggering microbial infections that ultimately cause death in CF patients.

Beyond respiratory disease, CF patients also suffer from gastrointestinal problems and pancreatic insufficiency that result in death if left untreated. Furthermore, female subjects with cystic fibrosis suffer from decreased fertility, whilst males with cystic fibrosis are infertile.

A variety of disease causing mutations has been identified through sequence analysis of the CFTR gene of CF chromosomes (Kerem, B., Rommens, J. M., Buchanan, J. A., Markiewicz, D., Cox, T. K., Chakravarti, A., Buchwald, M., Tsui, L. C., 1989. Identification of the cystic fibrosis gene: genetic analysis. Science 245, 1073-1080). ΔF508-CFTR, the most common CF mutation (present in at least 1 allele in ˜90% of CF patients) and occurring in approximately 70% of the cases of cystic fibrosis, contains a single amino acid deletion of phenylalanine 508. This deletion prevents the nascent protein from folding correctly, which protein in turn cannot exit the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and traffic to the plasma membrane, and then is rapidly degraded. As a result, the number of channels present in the membrane is far less than in cells expressing wild-type CFTR. In addition to impaired trafficking, the mutation results in defective channel gating. Indeed, even if ΔF508-CFTR is allowed to reach the cell plasma membrane by low-temperature (27° C.) rescue where it can function as a cAMP-activated chloride channel, its activity is decreased significantly compared with WT-CFTR (Pasyk, E. A., Foskett, J. K., 1995. Mutant (6F508) Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Cl⁻ Channel Is Functional When Retained in Endoplasmic Reticulum of Mammalian Cells. J. Biol. Chem. 270, 12347-12350).

Other mutations with lower incidence have also been identified that alter the channel regulation or the channel conductance. In case of the channel regulation mutants, the mutated protein is properly trafficked and localized to the plasma membrane but either cannot be activated or cannot function as a chloride channel (e.g. missense mutations located within the nucleotide binding domains), examples of these mutations are G551D, G178R, and G1349D. Mutations affecting chloride conductance have a CFTR protein that is correctly trafficked to the cell membrane but that generates reduced chloride flow (e.g. missense mutations located within the membrane-spanning domain), examples of these mutations are R117H and R334W.

In addition to cystic fibrosis, CFTR activity modulation may be beneficial for other diseases not directly caused by mutations in CFTR, such as, for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dry eye disease, and Sjögren's syndrome.

COPD is characterized by a progressive and non-reversible airflow limitation, which is due to mucus hypersecretion, bronchiolitis, and emphysema. A potential treatment of mucus hypersecretion and impaired mucociliary clearance that is common in COPD could consist in using activators of mutant or wild-type CFTR. In particular, the anion secretion increase across CFTR may facilitate fluid transport into the airway surface liquid to hydrate the mucus and optimize periciliary fluid viscosity. The resulting enhanced mucociliary clearance would help in reducing the symptoms associated with COPD.

Dry eye disease is characterized by a decrease in tear production and abnormal tear film lipid, protein and mucin profiles. Many factors may cause dry eye disease, some of which include age, arthritis, Lasik eye surgery, chemical/thermal burns, medications, allergies, and diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and Sjögren's syndrome. Increasing anion secretion via CFTR could enhance fluid transport from the corneal endothelial cells and secretory glands surrounding the eye, and eventually improve corneal hydration, thus helping to alleviate dry eye disease associated symptoms. Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease where the immune system harms moisture-producing glands throughout the body, including the eye, mouth, skin, respiratory tissue, liver, vagina, and gut. The ensuing symptoms, include, dry eye, mouth, and vagina, as well as lung disease. Sjögren's syndrome is also associated with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. The cause of the disease is believed to lie in defective protein trafficking, for which treatment options are limited. As a consequence, modulation of CFTR activity may help hydrating the various organs and help to elevate the associated symptoms.

In addition to CF, the defective protein trafficking induced by the ΔF508-CFTR has been shown to be the underlying basis for a wide range of other diseases, in particular diseases where the defective functioning of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) may either prevent the CFTR protein to exit the cell, and/or the misfolded protein is degraded (Morello, J.-P., Bouvier, M., Petaja-Repo, U. E., Bichet, D. G., 2000. Pharmacological chaperones: a new twist on receptor folding. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 21, 466-469. doi: 10.1016/S0165-6147(00)01575-3; Shastry, B. S., 2003. Neurodegenerative disorders of protein aggregation. Neurochem. Int. 43, 1-7. doi:10.1016/S0197-0186(02)00196-1; Zhang, W., Fujii, N., Naren, A. P., 2012. Recent advances and new perspectives in targeting CFTR for therapy of cystic fibrosis and enterotoxin-induced secretory diarrheas. Future Med. Chem. 4, 329-345. doi: 10.4155/fmc. 12.1).

A number of genetic diseases are associated with a defective ER processing equivalent to the defect observed with CFTR in CF such as glycanosis CDG type 1, hereditary emphysema (α-1-antitrypsin (PiZ variant)), congenital hyperthyroidism, osteogenesis imperfecta (Type I, II, or IV procollagen), hereditary hypofibrinogenemia (fibrinogen), ACT deficiency (α-1-antichymotrypsin), diabetes insipidus (DI), neurohypophyseal DI (vasopressin hormoneN2-receptor), nephrogenic DI (aquaporin II), Charcot-Marie Tooth syndrome (peripheral myelin protein 22), Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (APP and presenilins), Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, Pick's disease, several polyglutamine neurological disorders such as Huntington's disease, spinocerebellar ataxia type I, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, dentatorubral pallidoluysian, and myotonic dystrophy, as well as spongiform encephalopathies, such as hereditary Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (prion protein processing defect), Fabry disease (lysosomal a-galactosidase A), Straussler-Scheinker syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dry eye disease, and Sjögren's syndrome.

In addition to up-regulation of the activity of CFTR, anion secretion reduction by CFTR modulators may be beneficial for the treatment of secretory diarrheas, in which epithelial water transport is dramatically increased as a result of secretagogue activated chloride transport. The mechanism involves elevation of cAMP and stimulation of CFTR.

Regardless of the cause, excessive chloride transport is seen in all diarrheas, and results in dehydration, acidosis, impaired growth and death. Acute and chronic diarrheas remain a major medical problem worldwide, and are a significant factor in malnutrition, leading to death in children of less than five years old (5,000,000 deaths/year). Furthermore, in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), diarrhea is a dangerous condition.

Substitution of hydrogen with heavier isotopes such as deuterium, i.e. ²H, may afford certain therapeutic advantages resulting from greater metabolic stability, for example, increased in vivo half-life or reduced dosage requirements, and hence may be preferred in some circumstances. It has also been proposed that deuterium incorporation may have benefits in reducing interpatient variability, adverse events, and genotoxicity (Gant, Thomas G, 2014. Using Deuterium in Drug Discovery: Leaving the Label in the Drug. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 57.9, 2014, 3595-611). Accordingly, there is a need for novel deuterated compounds able to modulate CFTR. In particular, the present invention discloses deuterated compounds that may act as CFTR modulators for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. The present invention also provides methods for the preparation of these compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and methods for the treatment of cystic fibrosis by administering the compounds of the invention.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention provides for compounds of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

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wherein

- R¹and R²are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine;
- A is

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- R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, and R¹⁸are each independently hydrogen or deuterium;
- R¹⁷, at each occurrence, is independently hydrogen or deuterium; and
- R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine;
- provided that, at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium.

Another aspect of the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the invention, and a pharmaceutical carrier. Such compositions can be administered in accordance with a method of the invention, typically as part of a therapeutic regimen for treatment or prevention of conditions and disorders related to Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator activity. In a particular aspect, the pharmaceutical compositions may additionally comprise further therapeutically active ingredients suitable for use in combination with the compounds of the invention. In a more particular aspect, the further therapeutically active ingredient is an agent for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

Moreover, the compounds of the invention, useful in the pharmaceutical compositions and treatment methods disclosed herein, are pharmaceutically acceptable as prepared and used.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for treating, or preventing conditions and disorders related to Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator activity in mammals. More particularly, the method is useful for treating or preventing conditions and disorders related to cystic fibrosis, Sjögren's syndrome, pancreatic insufficiency, chronic obstructive lung disease, or chronic obstructive airway disease. Accordingly, the compounds and compositions of the invention are useful as a medicament for treating or preventing Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator modulated disease.

The compounds, compositions comprising the compounds, methods for making the compounds, and methods for treating or preventing conditions and disorders by administering the compounds are further described herein.

In a particular aspect, the compounds of the invention are provided for use in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. In a particular aspect, the compounds of the invention are provided for use in the treatment of cystic fibrosis caused by class I, II, III, IV, V, and/or VI mutations.

The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the invention, and a suitable pharmaceutical carrier for use in medicine. In a particular aspect, the pharmaceutical composition is for use in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

These and other objects of the invention are described in the following paragraphs. These objects should not be deemed to narrow the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides for compounds of Formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

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wherein

R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, A, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are defined above in the Summary and below in the Detailed Description. Further, compositions comprising such compounds and methods for treating conditions and disorders using such compounds and compositions are also included.

Compounds included herein may contain one or more variable(s) that occur more than one time in any substituent or in the formulae herein. Definition of a variable on each occurrence is independent of its definition at another occurrence. Further, combinations of substituents are permissible only if such combinations result in stable compounds. Stable compounds are compounds which can be isolated from a reaction mixture.

Definitions

It is noted that, as used in this specification and the intended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a compound” includes a single compound as well as one or more of the same or different compounds; reference to “a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” means a single pharmaceutically acceptable carrier as well as one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, and the like.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, unless specified to the contrary, the following terms have the meaning indicated:

The term “isotopic enrichment factor” refers to the ratio of the amount of a particular isotope in an enriched compound to the known natural amount of the isotope. Therefore, isotopic enrichment factor can be described as % deuterium/0.0156 (natural abundance). For example, a compound with 50% deuterium at a specific position would have an isotopic enrichment factor of 50/0.0156=3205.

The term “isotopologue” refers to a compound with an identical chemical structure, but which differs in isotopic composition.

The terms “treat”, “treating”, and “treatment” refer to a method of alleviating or abrogating a disease and/or its attendant symptoms. In certain embodiments, “treat,” “treating,” and “treatment” refer to ameliorating at least one physical parameter, which may not be discernible by the subject. In yet another embodiment, “treat”, “treating”, and “treatment” refer to modulating the disease or disorder, either physically (for example, stabilization of a discernible symptom), physiologically (for example, stabilization of a physical parameter), or both. In a further embodiment, “treat”, “treating”, and “treatment” refer to slowing the progression of the disease or disorder.

The terms “prevent”, “preventing”, and “prevention” refer to a method of preventing the onset of a disease and/or its attendant symptoms or barring a subject from acquiring a disease. As used herein, “prevent”, “preventing” and “prevention” also include delaying the onset of a disease and/or its attendant symptoms and reducing a subject's risk of acquiring or developing a disease or disorder.

The phrase “therapeutically effective amount” means an amount of a compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, sufficient to prevent the development of or to alleviate to some extent one or more of the symptoms of the condition or disorder being treated when administered alone or in conjunction with another therapeutic agent for treatment in a particular subject or subject population. The “therapeutically effective amount” may vary depending on the compound, the disease and its severity, and the age, weight, health, etc., of the subject to be treated. For example in a human or other mammal, a therapeutically effective amount may be determined experimentally in a laboratory or clinical setting, or may be the amount required by the guidelines of the United States Food and Drug Administration, or equivalent foreign agency, for the particular disease and subject being treated.

The term “subject” is defined herein to refer to animals such as mammals, including, but not limited to, primates (e.g., humans), cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, mice and the like. In one embodiment, the subject is a human. The terms “human,” “patient,” and “subject” are used interchangeably herein.

As used herein, “Class I mutation(s)” refers to mutations which interfere with protein synthesis. They result in the introduction of a premature signal of termination of translation (stop codon) in the mRNA. The truncated CFTR proteins are unstable and rapidly degraded, so, the net effect is that there is no protein at the apical membrane. In particular, Class I mutation(s) refers to p.Gly542X (G542X), W1282X, c.489+1G>T (621+1G>T), or c.579+1G>T (711+1G>T) mutation. More particularly, Class I mutation(s) refers to G542X; or W1282X mutations.

As used herein, “Class II mutation(s)” refers to mutations which affect protein maturation. These lead to the production of a CFTR protein that cannot be correctly folded and/or trafficked to its site of function on the apical membrane. In particular, Class II mutation(s) refers to p.Phe508del (F508del), p.Ile507del, or p.Asn1303Lys (N1303K) mutations. More particularly, Class II mutation(s) refers to F508del or N1303K mutations.

As used herein, “Class III mutation(s)” refers to mutations which alter the regulation of the CFTR channel. The mutated CFTR protein is properly trafficked and localized to the plasma membrane but cannot be activated, or it cannot function as a chloride channel. In particular, Class III mutation(s) refers to p.Gly551Asp (G551D), G551S, R553G, G1349D, S1251N, G178R, S549N mutations. More particularly, Class III mutation(s) refers to G551D, R553G, G1349D, S1251N, G178R, or S549N mutations.

As used herein, “Class IV mutation(s)” refers to mutations which affect chloride conductance. The CFTR protein is correctly trafficked to the cell membrane but generates reduced chloride flow or a “gating defect” (most are missense mutations located within the membrane-spanning domain). In particular, Class IV mutation(s) refers to p.Arg117His (R117H), R347P, or p.Arg334Trp (R334W) mutations.

As used herein, “Class V mutation(s)” refers to mutations which reduce the level of normally functioning CFTR at the apical membrane or result in a “conductance defect” (for example partially aberrant splicing mutations or inefficient trafficking missense mutations). In particular, Class V mutation(s) refers to c.1210-12T[5] (5T allele), c.S3140-26A>G (3272-26A>G), c.3850-2477C>T (3849+10kbC>T) mutations.

As used herein, “Class VI mutation(s)” refers to mutations which decrease the stability of the CFTR which is present or which affect the regulation of other channels, resulting in inherent instability of the CFTR protein. In effect, although functional, the CFTR protein is unstable at the cell surface and it is rapidly removed and degraded by cell machinery. In particular, Class VI mutation(s) refers to Rescued F508del, 120del23, N287Y, 4326dellTC, or 4279insA mutations. More particularly, Class VI mutation(s) refers to Rescued F508del mutations.

Compounds

Compounds of the invention have the general Formula (I) as described above.

Particular values of variable groups are as follows. Such values may be used where appropriate with any of the other values, definitions, claims or embodiments defined hereinbefore or hereinafter.

Formula (I)

One embodiment pertains to compounds of Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,

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wherein

- R¹and R²are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine;
- A is

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- R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, and R¹⁸are each independently hydrogen or deuterium;
- R¹⁷, at each occurrence, is independently hydrogen or deuterium; and
- R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine;
- provided that, at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), three of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), four of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), five of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), six of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), seven of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), eight of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), nine of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), ten of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), eleven of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twelve of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), thirteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), fourteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), fifteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), sixteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), seventeen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), eighteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), nineteen of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-two of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-three of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-four of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-five of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-six of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-seven of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-eight of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), twenty-nine of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), thirty of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R¹and R²are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine. In another embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹and R²is deuterium, and the other is hydrogen or fluorine. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹and R²are each hydrogen, provided that at least one of R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹and R²are each deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹and R²are each fluorine, provided that at least one of R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R³, R⁴, and R⁵, are each independently hydrogen or deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R³, R⁴, and R⁵, are each hydrogen provided that at least one of R¹, R², R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), one of R³, R⁴, and R⁵is independently deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R³, R⁴, and R⁵are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R³, R⁴, and R⁵are each deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹, are each independently hydrogen or deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹, are each hydrogen provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In one embodiment of Formula (I), one of R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹, is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹, are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), three of R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹, are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, and R⁹are each deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, are each independently hydrogen or deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, are each hydrogen provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In one embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), three of R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, and R¹⁶, are deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R¹¹, R¹², and R¹³are each independently hydrogen or deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹¹, R¹², and R¹³are each hydrogen provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁸, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In one embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹¹, R¹², and R¹³is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R¹¹, R¹², and R¹³are deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹¹, R¹², and R¹³are deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are each independently hydrogen, deuterium, or fluorine. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are each hydrogen, provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, and R¹⁸is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are each fluorine provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, and R¹⁸is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is fluorine provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, and R¹⁸is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are fluorine provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, and R¹⁸is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), one of R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium or fluorine. In another embodiment of Formula (I), two of R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium or fluorine. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹are deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁸is hydrogen or deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁸is hydrogen provided that at least one of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, R¹⁰, R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R¹⁴, R¹⁵, R¹⁶, R¹⁷, R¹⁹, R²⁰, and R²¹is deuterium. In another embodiment of Formula (I), R¹⁸is deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), A is

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R¹⁸is hydrogen or deuterium; and R¹⁷, at each occurrence is independently hydrogen or deuterium.

In one embodiment of Formula (I), A is

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In another embodiment of Formula (I), A is

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