SUBSTITUTED 3-THIAZOLOAMINO-PROPIONIC ACID DERIVATIVES AND THEIR USE AS PHARMACEUTICALS

The present invention relates to compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib,

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wherein R1, R2, G, R¹⁰, R³⁰, R⁴⁰, R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰have the meanings indicated below, which are valuable pharmaceutical active compounds. They are inhibitors of the protease cathepsin A, and are useful for the treatment of diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, renal diseases, liver diseases or inflammatory diseases, for example. The invention furthermore relates to processes for the preparation of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, their use and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.

Cathepsin A (EC=3.4.16.5; gene symbol CTSA) is a protease also known as lysosomal carboxypeptidase A or protective protein. It belongs to a family of serine carboxypeptidases which contains only two other mammalian representatives, retinoid-inducible serine carboxypeptidase and vitellogenic carboxypeptidase-like protein. Within the cell cathepsin A resides in lysosomes where it forms a high molecular weight complex with beta-galactosidase and neuraminidase. The interaction of cathepsin A with these glycosidases is essential for their correct routing to the lysosome and protects them from intralysosomal proteolysis. A deficiency of cathepsin A resulting from various mutations in the ctsa gene leads to a secondary deficiency of beta-galactosidase and neuraminidase that is manifest as the autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder galactosialidosis (cf. A. d'Azzo et al., in “The Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease”, vol. 2 (1995), 2835-2837). The majority of identified mutations in ctsa are missense mutations affecting the folding or the stability of the protein. None of them was shown to occur in the active site of the enzyme (G. Rudenko et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95 (1998), 621-625). Accordingly, the lysosomal storage disorder can be corrected with catalytically inactive cathepsin A mutants (N. J. Galjart et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266 (1991), 14754-14762). The structural function of cathepsin A is therefore separable from its catalytic activity. This is also underscored by the observation that in contrast to mice deficient in the ctsa gene, mice carrying a catalytically inactivating mutation in the ctsa gene do not develop signs of the human disease galactosialidosis (R. J. Rottier et al., Hum. Mol. Genet. 7 (1998), 1787-1794; V. Seyrantepe et al., Circulation 117 (2008), 1973-1981).

Cathepsin A displays carboxypeptidase activity at acidic pH and deamidase and esterase activities at neutral pH against various naturally occurring bioactive peptides. In vitro studies have indicated that cathepsin A converts angiotensin Ito angiotensin 1-9 and bradykinin to bradykinin 1-8, which is the ligand for the bradykinin B1 receptor. It hydrolyzes endothelin-1, neurokinin and oxytocin, and deamidates substance P (cf. M. Hiraiwa, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 56 (1999), 894-907). High cathepsin A activity has been detected in urine, suggesting that it is responsible for tubular bradykinin degradation (M. Saito et al., Int. J. Tiss. Reac. 17 (1995), 181-190). However, the enzyme can also be released from platelets and lymphocytes and is expressed in antigen-presenting cells where it might be involved in antigen processing (W. L. Hanna et al., J. Immunol. 153 (1994), 4663-4672; H. Ostrowska, Thromb. Res. 86 (1997), 393-404; M. Reich et al., Immunol. Lett. (online Nov. 30, 2009)). Immunohistochemistry of human organs revealed prominent expression in renal tubular cells, bronchial epithelial cells, Leydig's cells of the testis and large neurons of the brain (O. Sohma et al., Pediatr. Neurol. 20 (1999), 210-214). It is upregulated during differentiation of monocytes to macrophages (N. M. Stamatos et al., FEBS J. 272 (2005), 2545-2556). Apart from structural and enzymatic functions, cathepsin A has been shown to associate with neuraminidase and an alternatively spliced beta-galactosidase to form the cell-surface laminin and elastin receptor complex expressed on fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, chondroblasts, leukocytes and certain cancer cell types (A. Hinek, Biol. Chem. 377 (1996), 471-480).

The importance of cathepsin A for the regulation of local bradykinin levels has been demonstrated in animal models of hypertension. Pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin A activity increased renal bradykinin levels and prevented the development of salt-induced hypertension (H. Ito et al., Br. J. Pharmacol. 126 (1999), 613-620). This could also be achieved by antisense oligonucleotides suppressing the expression of cathepsin A (I. Hajashi et al., Br. J. Pharmacol. 131 (2000), 820-826). Besides in hypertension, beneficial effects of bradykinin have been demonstrated in various further cardiovascular diseases and other diseases (cf. J. Chao et al., Biol. Chem. 387 (2006), 665-75; P. Madeddu et al., Nat. Clin. Pract. Nephrol. 3 (2007), 208-221). Key indications of cathepsin A inhibitors therefore include atherosclerosis, heart failure, cardiac infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, vascular hypertrophy, left ventricular dysfunction, in particular left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction, renal diseases such as renal fibrosis, renal failure and kidney insufficiency; liver diseases such as liver fibrosis and liver cirrhosis, diabetes complications such as nephropathy, as well as organ protection of organs such as the heart and the kidney.

As indicated above, cathepsin A inhibitors can prevent the generation of the bradykinin B1 receptor ligand bradykinin 1-8 (M. Saito et al., Int. J. Tiss. Reac. 17 (1995), 181-190). This offers the opportunity to use cathepsin A inhibitors for the treatment of pain, in particular neuropathic pain, and inflammation, as has been shown for bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists (cf. F. Marceau et al., Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 3 (2004), 845-852). Cathepsin A inhibitors can further be used as anti-platelet agents as has been demonstrated for the cathepsin A inhibitor ebelactone B, a propiolactone derivative, which suppresses platelet aggregation in hypertensive animals (H. Ostrowska et al., J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. 45 (2005), 348-353).

Further, like other serine proteases such as prostasin, elastase or matriptase, cathepsin A can stimulate the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and is thereby involved in the regulation of fluid volumes across epithelial membranes (cf. C. Planes et al., Curr. Top. Dev. Biol. 78 (2007), 23-46). Thus, respiratory diseases can be ameliorated by the use of cathepsin A inhibitors, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, respiratory tract infections and lung carcinoma. Cathepsin A modulation in the kidney could be used to promote diuresis and thereby induce a hypotensive effect.

Besides for the above-mentioned compound ebelactone B, an inhibitory effect on cathepsin A has been found for certain dipeptidic phenylalanine derivatives which are described in JP 2005/145839. There is a need for further compounds which inhibit cathepsin A and offer an opportunity for the treatment of the mentioned diseases and further diseases in which cathepsin A plays a role. The present invention satisfies this need by providing the oxygen-substituted 3-heteroaroylamino-propionic acid derivatives of the formulae Ia and Ib defined below.

Certain compounds in which a 3-heteroaroylamino-propionic acid moiety can be present, have already been described. For example, in WO 2006/076202 amine derivatives, which modulate the activity of steroid nuclear receptors, are described which carry on the nitrogen atom of the amine function a heteroaroyl group and a further group which is defined very broadly. In US 2004/0072802 broadly-defined beta-amino acid derivatives are described which carry an acyl group on the beta-amino group and are inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases and/or tumor necrosis factor. In WO 2009/080226 and WO 2009/080227, which relate to antagonists of the platelet ADP receptor P2Y12 and inhibit platelet aggregation, pyrazoloylamino-substituted carboxylic acid derivatives are described which, however, additionally carry a carboxylic acid derivative group on the carbon atom carrying the pyrazoloylamino group. Other pyrazoloylamino-substituted compounds, in which the nitrogen atom of the amino group is connected to a ring system and which are inhibitors of the blood clotting enzymes factor Xa and/or factor Vila, are described in WO 2004/056815.

A subject of the present invention is a compound of the formulae Ia and Ib, in any of its stereoisomeric forms or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms in any ratio, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or a physiologically acceptable solvate of any of them,

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G is chosen from the series consisting of R⁷¹—O—C(O)—, R⁷²—N(R⁷³)—C(O)—, NC— and tetrazol-5-yl;

R¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, CF₃, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl-C_sH_2s—, Ar—C_sH_2s—, Ar—O, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m— and NC—; wherein s is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 0, 1, 2 and 3;

R²is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, CF₃, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, and NC—;

R¹⁰is chosen from the series consisting of R¹¹, Het²-C(O)—, R¹⁴—C(O)— and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_m—;

R¹¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, R¹⁴, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, Ar and Het³;

R¹⁴is (C₁-C₁₀)-alkyl which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, HO—, R¹⁶—O—, oxo, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, Ar, Het¹, Het³, NC—, H₂N—C(O)—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-NH—C(O)—, di((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)N—C(O)—, Het¹-C(O)—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-C(O)—NH— and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_m—;

R¹⁶is (C₁-C₆)-alkyl which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of HO—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O— and NC—;

R³⁰is chosen from the series consisting of R³¹, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, R³²—C_uH_2u— and Het³-C_uH_2u—, wherein u is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 0, 1, 2 and 3;

R³¹is (C₁-C₁₀)-alkyl which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m— and NC—;

R³²is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one, two or three identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, wherein the phenyl and the heterocycle all are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, R³³, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, R³³—O—, R³³—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—, —O—CH₂—O—, —O—CF₂—O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m—, H₂N—S(O)₂—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-NH—S(O)₂—, di((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)N—S(O)₂—, H₂N—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-NH—, di((C₁-C₆)-alkyl)N—, Het¹, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-C(O)—NH—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)₂—NH— and NC—;

R³³is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one, two or three identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, wherein the phenyl and the heterocycle all are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m—, H₂N—S(O)₂—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-NH—S(O)₂—, di((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)N—S(O)₂— and NC—;

R⁴⁰is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl;

or R³⁰and R⁴° together are (CH₂))_xwhich is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different (C₁-C₄)-alkyl substituents, wherein x is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 2, 3, 4 and 5;

R⁵⁰is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, HO— and (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—;

R⁶⁰is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₆)-alkyl;

or R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰together are (CH₂)_ywhich is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different (C₁-C₄)-alkyl substituents, wherein y is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 2, 3, 4 and 5;

R⁷¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₆-alkyl which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O— and (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-C(O)—O—,

R⁷²is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, —CH₂—(CH₂)_b—(C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, Het⁴and —(CH₂)_b-Het⁴, where alkyl or cycloalkyl is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, HO—, HOOC—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O— and (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-C(O)—O—, NC—, N((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)₂and b is 0, 1 or 2;

R⁷³is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl;

R⁷²and R⁷³together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a saturated 4-membered to 7-membered monocyclic heterocycle, which contain optionally one further ring heteroatom chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO— and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—;

Ar, independently of each other group Ar, is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one, two or three identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, wherein the phenyl and the heterocycle all are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C1-C₆)-alkyl-O—, —O—CH₂—O—, —O—CF₂—O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m—, H₂N—S(O)₂— and NC—;

and wherein phenyl may be substituted by —CH═CH—CH═CH—, —O—CH₂—O—, —O—CH₂—CH₂—O—, —O—CF₂—O— or —N((C₁-C₃)-alkyl)-CH═CH—;

Het¹, independently of each other group Het³, is a saturated or unsaturated 4-membered to 8-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises a ring nitrogen atom via which Het¹is bonded and optionally one or two identical or different further ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—, oxo and NC—;

Het²is a saturated 4-membered to 7-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises a ring nitrogen atom via which Het²is bonded and optionally one further ring heteroatom chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO— and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—;

Het³, independently of each other group Het³, is a saturated 4-membered to 7-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one or two identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of fluorine, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and oxo;

Het⁴, independently of each other group Het⁴, is a saturated or unsaturated 4-membered to 8-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one to four ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO—, oxo and NC—;

m, independently of each other number m, is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 0, 1 and 2;

wherein all cycloalkyl groups, independently of each other, are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of fluorine and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl;

wherein all alkyl, C_sH_2s, C_uH_2u, (CH₂)_xand (CH₂)_ygroups, independently of each other, and independently of any other substituents, are optionally substituted by one or more fluorine substituents.

If structural elements such as groups, substituents or numbers, for example, can occur several times in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, they are all independent of each other and can in each case have any of the indicated meanings, and they can in each case be identical to or different from any other such element. In a dialkylamino group, for example, the alkyl groups can be identical or different.

Alkyl groups, i.e. saturated hydrocarbon residues, can be linear (straight-chain) or branched. This also applies if these groups are substituted or are part of another group, for example an alkyl-O— group (alkyloxy group, alkoxy group) or an HO— substituted alkyl group (hydroxyalkyl group). Depending on the respective definition, the number of carbon atoms in an alkyl group can be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, or 1, 2, 3 or 4, or 1, 2 or 3, or 1 or 2, or 1, for example. In one embodiment of the invention, a (C₁-C₁₀)-alkyl group present in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib is a (C₁-C₈)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₆)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₂)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₂-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a methyl group. In one embodiment of the invention, a (C₁-C₈)-alkyl group present in any position of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb is a (C₁-C₆)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₂)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₂-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a methyl group, where any (C₁-C₈)-alkyl group present in the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb can independently of each other (C₁-C₈)-alkyl group be a group of any of these embodiments. In one embodiment of the invention, a (C₁-C₆)-alkyl group present in any position of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib is a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₂)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₂-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a methyl group, where any (C₁-C₆)-alkyl group present in the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb can independently of each other (C₁-C₆)-alkyl group be a group of any of these embodiments. In one embodiment of the invention, a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group present in any position of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb is a (C₁-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₁-C₂)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a (C₂-C₃)-alkyl group, in another embodiment a methyl group, where any (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group present in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib can independently of each other (C₁-C₄)-alkyl group be a group of any of these embodiments. Examples of alkyl groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl groups including propyl (i.e. n-propyl) and isopropyl, butyl groups including butyl (i.e. n-butyl), sec-butyl, isobutyl and tert-butyl, pentyl groups including pentyl (i.e. n-pentyl), 1-methylbutyl, isopentyl, neopentyl and tert-pentyl, hexyl groups including hexyl (i.e. n-hexyl), 3,3-dimethylbutyl and isohexyl, heptyl groups including heptyl (i.e. n-heptyl), octyl groups including octyl (i.e. n-octyl), nonyl groups including nonyl (i.e. n-nonyl), and decyl groups including decyl (i.e. n-decyl). Examples of alkyl-O— groups are methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy (i.e. n-propoxy), isopropoxy, butoxy (i.e. n-butoxy), isobutoxy, tert-butoxy, pentoxy (i.e. n-pentoxy). Examples of alkyl-S(O)_m— are methylsulfanyl- (CH₃—S—), methanesulfinyl- (CH₃—S(O)—), methanesulfonyl (CH₃—S(O)₂—), ethylsulfanyl-(CH₃—CH₂—S—), ethanesulfinyl-(CH₃—CH₂—S(O)—), ethanesulfonyl (CH₃—CH₂—S(O)₂—), 1-methylethylsulfanyl-((CH₃)₂CH—S—), 1-methylethanesulfinyl-((CH₃)₂CH—S(O)—), 1-methylethanesulfonyl ((CH₃)₂CH—S(O)₂—). In one embodiment of the invention the number m is chosen from 0 and 2, wherein all numbers m are independent of each other and can be identical or different. In another embodiment the number m in any of its occurrences is, independently of its meaning in other occurrences, 0. In another embodiment the number m in any of its occurrences is, independently of its meaning in other occurrences, 2.

A substituted alkyl group can be substituted in any positions, provided that the respective compound is sufficiently stable and is suitable as a pharmaceutical active compound. The prerequisite that a specific group and a compound of the formulae Ia and lb are sufficiently stable and suitable as a pharmaceutical active compound, applies in general with respect to the definitions of all groups in the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb. In one embodiment of the invention, an individual carbon atom in any alkyl group in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, as well as in other groups such as cycloalkyl groups and heterocyclic groups, for example, independently of any other carbon atom does not carry more than one substituent which is bonded via an oxygen atom, nitrogen atom or sulfur atom, such as HO—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O— or (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)_m-substituents, for example. An alkyl group which is optionally substituted by one or more fluorine substituents can be unsubstituted, i.e. not carry fluorine substituents, or substituted, for example by one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or eleven fluorine substituents, or by one, two, three, four, five, six or seven fluorine substituents, or by one, two, three, four or five fluorine substituents, or by one, two or three fluorine substituents, which can be located in any positions. For example, in a fluoro-substituted alkyl group one or more methyl groups can carry three fluorine substituents each and be present as trifluoromethyl groups, and/or one or more methylene groups (CH₂) can carry two fluorine substituents each and be present as difluoromethylene groups. The explanations with respect to the substitution of a group by fluorine also apply if the group additionally carries other substituents and/or is part of another group, for example of an alkyl-O— group. Examples of fluoro-substituted alkyl groups are trifluoromethyl, 2-fluoroethyl, 1-fluoroethyl, 1,1-difluoroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, pentafluoroethyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl, 4,4,4-trifluorobutyl and heptafluoroisopropyl. Examples of fluoro-substituted alkyl-O— groups are trifluoromethoxy, 2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethoxy and 3,3,3-trifluoropropoxy. Examples of fluoro-substituted alkyl-S(O)_m— groups are trifluoromethylsulfanyl-(CF₃—S—), trifluoromethanesulfinyl-(CF₃—S(O)—) and trifluoromethanesulfonyl (CF₃—S(O)₂—).

The above explanations with respect to alkyl groups apply correspondingly to alkanediyl groups (divalent alkyl groups) including the divalent groups C_sH_2s, C_uH_2u, (CH₂)_xand (CH₂)_y. Also the alkyl part of a substituted alkyl group may be regarded as an alkanediyl group. Thus, alkanediyl groups can also be linear or branched, the bonds to the adjacent groups can be located in any positions and can start from the same carbon atom or from different carbon atoms, and they can be substituted by fluorine substituents. Examples of alkanediyl groups including the groups C_sH_2sand C_uH_2uand, as far they constitute polymethylene chains, the groups (CH₂), are —CH₂—, —CH₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—CH₂—, —CH(CH₃)—, —C(CH₃)₂—, —CH(CH₃)—CH₂—, —CH₂—CH(CH₃)—, —C(CH₃)₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—C(CH₃)₂—. Examples of fluoro-substituted alkanediyl groups, which can contain one, two, three, four, five or six fluorine substituents, or one, two, three or four fluorine substituents, or one or two fluorine substituents, for example, are —CHF—, —CF₂—, —CF₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—CF₂—, —CF₂—CF₂—, —CF(CH₃)—, —C(CF₃)₂—, —C(CH₃)₂—CF₂—, —CF₂—C(CH₃)₂—.

The number of ring carbon atoms in a (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl group can be 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. Examples of cycloalkyl are cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and cycloheptyl. As regards the optional substitution of cycloalkyl groups by one or more (C₁-C₄)-alkyl substituents, they be unsubstituted, i.e. not carry alkyl substituents, or substituted, for example by one, two, three or four, or by one or two, identical or different (C₁-C₄)-alkyl substituents, for example by methyl groups, which substituents can be located in any positions. Examples of such alkyl-substituted cycloalkyl groups are 1-methylcyclopropyl, 2,2-dimethylcyclopropyl, 1-methylcyclopentyl, 2,3-dimethylcyclopentyl, 1-methylcyclohexyl, 4-methylcyclohexyl, 4-isopropylcyclohexyl, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl and 3,3,5,5-tetramethylcyclohexyl. As regards the optional substitution of cycloalkyl groups by one or more fluorine substituents, they can be unsubstituted, i.e. not carry fluorine substituents, or substituted, for example by one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or eleven fluorine substituents, or by one, two, three, four, five or six fluorine substituents, or by one, two, three or four fluorine substituents, or by one or two fluorine substituents. The fluorine substituents can be located in any positions of the cycloalkyl group and can also be located in an alkyl substituent on the cycloalkyl group. Examples of fluoro-substituted cycloalkyl groups are 1-fluorocyclopropyl, 2,2-difluorocyclopropyl, 3,3-difluorocyclobutyl, 1-fluorocyclohexyl, 4,4-difluorocyclohexyl and 3,3,4,4,5,5-hexafluorocyclohexyl. Cycloalkyl groups can also be substituted simultaneously by fluorine and alkyl. Examples of (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl groups, which can represent R¹¹or R³⁰, for example, are cyclopropylmethyl-, cyclobutylmethyl-, cyclopentylmethyl-, cyclohexylmethyl-, cycloheptylmethyl-, 1-cyclopropylethyl-, 2-cyclopropylethyl-, 1-cyclobutylethyl-, 2-cyclobutylethyl-, 1-cyclopentylethyl-, 2-cyclopentylethyl-, 1-cyclohexylethyl-, 2-cyclohexylethyl-, 1-cycloheptylethyl-, 2-cycloheptylethyl-. The explanations with respect cycloalkyl groups apply correspondingly to divalent cycloalkyl groups (cycloalkanediyl groups), which can occur in case the two groups R³⁰and R⁴⁰together are (CH₂)_xor the two groups R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰together are (CH₂)_y. Also the cycloalkyl part of a substituted cycloalkyl group may be regarded as a cycloalkanediyl group. Thus, for example, the bonds through which a cycloalkanediyl group is connected to the adjacent groups, can be located in any positions and can start from the same ring carbon atom, as in the case of the cycloalkanediyl group which is present if R³⁰and R⁴⁰together are (CH₂)_xor the two groups R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰together are (CH₂)_y, or from different ring carbon atoms.

In substituted phenyl groups the substituents can be located in any positions. In the case a the divalent substituents —O—CH₂—O— (methylenedioxy) and —O—CF₂—O— (difluoromethylenedioxy) which can be present on phenyl groups and aromatic heterocycles, the two oxygen atoms are bonded to adjacent ring carbon atoms of the phenyl group or the aromatic heterocycle and replace two hydrogen atoms of the parent system. In monosubstituted phenyl groups, the substituent can be located in the 2-position, the 3-position or the 4-position. In disubstituted phenyl groups, the substituents can be located in 2,3-position, 2,4-position, 2,5-position, 2,6-position, 3,4-position or 3,5-position. In trisubstituted phenyl groups, the substituents can be located in 2,3,4-position, 2,3,5-position, 2,3,6-position, 2,4,5-position, 2,4,6-position or 3,4,5-position. If a phenyl group carries four substituents, some of which can be fluorine atoms, for example, the substituents can be located in 2,3,4,5-position, 2,3,4,6-position or 2,3,5,6-position. If a polysubstituted phenyl group carries different substituents, each substituent can be located in any suitable position, and the present invention comprises all positional isomers. The number of substituents in an optionally substituted phenyl group can be one, two, three, four or five. In one embodiment of the invention, an optionally substituted phenyl group, independently of any other optionally substituted phenyl group in a compound of the formulae Ia and Ib, carries one, two, three or four, in another embodiment one, two or three, in another embodiment one or two, in another embodiment one, identical or different substituents, and in another embodiment it is unsubstituted.

Likewise, in substituted heterocyclic groups, including aromatic 5-membered and 6-membered monocyclic heterocycles which can represent R³², R³³and Ar, saturated and unsaturated 4-membered to 8-membered monocyclic heterocycles which can represent Het¹, and saturated 4-membered to 7-membered monocyclic heterocycles which can represent Het²and Het³, the substituents can be located in any positions and can be present on ring carbon atoms and/or on suitable ring nitrogen atoms. The present invention comprises all positional isomers. The number of substituents which can be present on substituted heterocycles in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, depends on the ring size, the number and type of the ring heteroatoms and the degree of unsaturation. In one embodiment of the invention, the number of identical or different substituents on any of the heterocyclic groups in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, independently of the number of substituents in any other occurrence of this group and the number of substituents in any other heterocyclic group in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, is one, two, three, four or five, in another embodiment one, two, three or four, in another embodiment one, two or three, in another embodiment one or two, in another embodiment one. Ring nitrogen atoms which optionally carry a substituent, include ring nitrogen atoms in saturated heterocyclic rings other than those via which such a ring is bonded, and the ring nitrogen atom in 5-membered aromatic heterocycles such as pyrrole, imidazole or triazole, which in the parent heterocycle carry a hydrogen atom. In one embodiment of the invention, the substituents on any such ring nitrogen atoms in heterocyclic groups are chosen from those of the substituents specified in the definition of the respective group which are bonded via a carbon atom, for example from the series consisting of (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl and R³³, in another embodiment from the series consisting of (C₁-C₆)-alkyl and (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, in the case of the aromatic heterocycle which can represent R³², from the series consisting of (C₁-C₆)-alkyl and (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl in the case of the aromatic heterocycle which can represent R³³, and are (C₁-C₆)-alkyl in the case of the aromatic heterocycle which can represent Ar and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl in the case of Het¹, Het²and Het³. Generally, besides optionally carrying the substituents indicated in the definition of the respective group, suitable ring nitrogen atoms in heterocyclic groups in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, in particular aromatic heterocyclic groups such as the heterocyclic groups which can represent R³², R³³and Ar, for example the ring nitrogen atom in a pyridinyl group, can also carry an oxido substituent —O⁻ and be present as an N-oxide.

The ring heteroatoms specified in the definitions of heterocyclic groups in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, including the aromatic 5-membered and 6-membered monocyclic heterocycles which can represent R³², R³³and Ar and the heterocycles which represent Het¹, Het², Het³and Het⁴can generally be present in any combination and located in any suitable ring positions, provided that the resulting group and the compound of the formulae Ia and Ib are sufficiently stable and suitable as a pharmaceutical active compound, as mentioned above. In one embodiment of the invention, two oxygen atoms in any heterocyclic ring in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib cannot be present in adjacent ring positions. In another embodiment, two ring heteroatoms in any non-aromatic heterocyclic ring in the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb cannot be present in adjacent ring positions. In another embodiment, two ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of N atoms which carry a hydrogen atom or a substituent and are bonded to the adjacent ring atoms by single bonds, O atoms and S atoms in a non-aromatic heterocycle cannot be present in adjacent ring positions. In an aromatic heterocycle the choice of ring heteroatoms and their positions is limited by the prerequisite that the ring is aromatic, i.e., it comprises a cyclic system of six delocalized pi electrons. Thus, for example, in an aromatic monocyclic 6-membered heterocycle only nitrogen atoms can occur as ring heteroatoms, and in an aromatic monocyclic 5-membered heterocycle only one ring heteroatom chosen from the series consisting of O atoms, S atoms and N atoms carrying a hydrogen atom or a substituent, can be present. An unsaturated heterocycle which can represent Het¹, can be aromatic, for example in the case of a pyrrolyl, imidazolyl or triazolyl group which is bonded via a ring nitrogen atom and can represent Het¹, or non-aromatic and comprise one or two double bonds within the ring which can be present in any positions. In one embodiment, a 4-membered heterocycle representing Het¹cannot be unsaturated. A heterocyclic group can be bonded via any ring carbon atom or via any suitable ring nitrogen atom, respectively, as indicated in the definition of the respective group. The group Het¹can be 4-membered, 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered or 8-membered. The groups Het²and Het³can be 4-membered, 5-membered, 6-membered or 7-membered.

Examples of aromatic heterocycles, from any one or more of which the aromatic 5-membered and 6-membered monocyclic heterocycles which can represent R³², R³³and Ar and, as far as applicable, the group Het¹are chosen in one embodiment of the invention, are pyrrole, furan, thiophene, imidazole, pyrazole, oxazole ([1,3]oxazole), isoxazole ([1,2]oxazole), thiazole ([1,3]thiazole), isothiazole ([1,2]thiazole), [1,2,3]triazole, [1,2,4]triazole, [1,3,4]oxadiazole, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine and pyrazine, which can all be bonded via any ring carbon atom or via any suitable ring nitrogen atom, and which all are optionally substituted as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and Ib in general or in any embodiment specified above or below. Examples of specific residues of aromatic heterocycles, from any one or more of which the aromatic, 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocyclic residue which can represent R³², R³³or Ar and, as far as applicable, the group Het¹, are chosen in one embodiment of the invention, are pyrrol-1-yl, pyrrol-2-yl, pyrrol-3-yl, furan-2-yl, furan-3-yl, thiophen-2-yl (2-thienyl), thiophen-3-yl (3-thienyl), innidazol-1-yl, imidazol-2-yl, imidazol-4-yl, imidazol-5-yl, pyrazol-1-yl, pyrazol-3-yl, pyrazol-4-yl, pyrazol-5-yl, oxazol-2-yl, oxazol-4-yl, oxazol-5-yl, isoxazol-3-yl, isoxazol-4-yl, isoxazol-5-yl, thiazol-2-yl, thiazol-4-yl, thiazol-5-yl, isothiazol-3-yl, isothiazol-4-yl, isothiazol-5-yl, [1,2,3]triazol-1-yl, [1,2,3]triazol-4-yl, [1,2,3]triazol-5-yl, [1,2,4]triazol-1-yl, [1,2,4]triazol-3-yl, [1,2,4]triazol-4-yl, [1,3,4]oxadiazol-2-yl, pyridin-2-yl (2-pyridyl), pyridin-3-yl (3-pyridyl), pyridin-4-yl (4-pyridyl), pyridazin-3-yl, pyridazin-4-yl, pyrimidin-2-yl, pyrimidin-4-yl, and pyrazin-2-yl, which all are optionally substituted as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and Ib in general or in any embodiment specified above or below.

Examples of saturated heterocycles and non-aromatic unsaturated heterocycles, from any one or more of which the groups Het¹, Het², Het³and Het⁴are independently of each other chosen in one embodiment of the invention, as far as applicable with regard to the ring size and the degree of saturation, are azetidine, oxetane, thietane, pyrrolidine, 2,5-dihydro-1 H-pyrrole, tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrothiophene, pyrazolidine, imidazolidine, 4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole, [1,3]dioxolane, oxazolidine, thiazolidine, piperidine, 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, tetrahydropyran, tetrahydrothiopyran, piperazine, [1,3]dioxane, [1,4]dioxane, morpholine, thiomorpholine, azepane, oxepane, thiepane, [1,3]diazepane, [1,4]diazepane, [1,4]oxazepane, [1,4]thiazepane and azocane, which all are optionally substituted as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and Ib in general or in any embodiment specified above or below. Examples of specific residues of saturated and non-aromatic unsaturated heterocycles, from any one or more of which the groups Het¹, Het², Het³and Het⁴are independently of each other chosen in one embodiment of the invention, as far as applicable with regard to the ring size, the degree of saturation and the kind of the atom via which the residue is bonded are azetidin-1-yl, oxetan-3-yl, thietan-3-yl, pyrrolidin-1-yl, pyrrolidin-2-yl, pyrrolidin-3-yl, 2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrol-1-yl, tetrahydrofuran-2-yl, tetrahydrofuran-3-yl, tetrahydrothiophen-2-yl, tetrahydrothiophen-3-yl, pyrazolidin-1-yl, pyrazolidin-4-yl, imidazolidin-1-yl, imidazolidin-2-yl, imidazolidin-4-yl, 4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-4-yl, oxazolidin-2-yl, oxazolidin-3-yl, oxazolidin-4-yl, oxazolidin-5-yl, thiazolidin-2-yl, thiazolidin-3-yl, thiazolidin-4-yl, thiazolidin-5-yl, piperidin-1-yl, piperidin-2-yl, piperidin-3-yl, piperidin-4-yl, 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-1-yl, tetrahydropyran-2-yl, tetrahydropyran-3-yl, tetrahydropyran-4-yl, tetrahydrothiopyran-2-yl, tetrahydrothiopyran-3-yl, tetrahydrothiopyran-4-yl, piperazin-1-yl, piperazin-2-yl, [1,3]dioxan-2-yl, [1,3]dioxan-4-yl, [1,3]dioxan-5-yl, [1,4]dioxan-2-yl, morpholin-2-yl, morpholin-3-yl, morpholin-4-yl, thiomorpholin-2-yl, thiomorpholin-3-yl, thiomorpholin-4-yl, azepan-1-yl, azepan-2-yl, azepan-3-yl, azepan-4-yl, oxepan-2-yl, oxepan-3-yl, oxepan-4-yl, [1,3]diazepan-1-yl, [1,4]diazepan-1-yl, [1,4]oxazepan-1-yl and [1,4]thiazepan-1-yl, which all are optionally substituted as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and Ib in general or in any embodiment specified above or below.

Halogen is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine. In one embodiment of the invention, halogen in any occurrence in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, independently of all other occurrences, is fluorine, chlorine or bromine, in another embodiment fluorine or chlorine, in another embodiment fluorine.

An oxo substituent, i.e. an oxygen atom which is bonded via a double bond, when bonded to a carbon atom, replaces two hydrogen atoms on the carbon atom of the parent system to which it is bonded. Thus, if a CH₂group is substituted by oxo, it becomes a carbonyl group (C(O), C═O). An oxo substituent cannot be present on a carbon atom in an aromatic ring. Besides on carbon atoms, oxo substituents can also be present on a ring sulfur atom in the group Het¹, in particular if the group Het¹is saturated, and in the group Het³, to give the ring member S(O) (S═O, i.e. a sulfoxide group), if one oxo substituent is present on the sulfur atom, or the ring member S(O)₂(S(═O)₂, i.e. a sulfone group), if two oxo substituents are present on the sulfur atom. As examples of heterocycles which can represent Het¹and Het³and which carry oxo substituent a ring sulfur atom, 1,1-dioxo-tetrahydrothiophene, 1-oxo-thiomorpholine and 1,1-dioxo-thiomorpholine may be mentioned, which all are optionally substituted by further substituents such as (C₁-C₄)-alkyl substituents as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and Ib in general or in any embodiment specified above or below.

The present invention comprises all stereoisomeric forms of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, for example all enantiomers and diastereomers including cis/trans isomers. The invention likewise comprises mixtures of two or more stereoisomeric forms, for example mixtures of enantiomers and/or diastereomers including cis/trans isomers, in all ratios. Asymmetric centers contained in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, for example in unsubstituted or substituted alkyl groups, can all independently of each other have the S configuration or the R configuration. The invention relates to enantiomers, both the levorotatory and the dextrorotatory antipode, in enantiomerically pure form and essentially enantiomerically pure form, for example with a molar ratio of the two enantiomers of 99:1 or greater, and in the form of racemates and in the form of mixtures of the two enantiomers in all ratios. The invention likewise relates to diastereomers in the form of pure and essentially pure diastereomers and in the form of mixtures of two or more diastereomers in all ratios.

The invention also comprises all cis/trans isomers of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib in pure form and essentially pure form, for example with a molar ratio of the cis/trans isomers of 99:1 or greater, and in the form of mixtures of the cis isomer and the trans isomer in all ratios. Cis/trans isomerism can occur in substituted rings. The preparation of individual stereoisomers, if desired, can be carried out by resolution of a mixture according to customary methods, for example, by chromatography or crystallization, or by use of stereochemically uniform starting compounds in the synthesis or by stereoselective reactions. Optionally, before a separation of stereoisomers a derivatization can be carried out. The separation of a mixture of stereoisomers can be carried out at the stage of the compound of the formulae Ia and Ib or at the stage of an intermediate in the course of the synthesis. The invention also comprises all tautomeric forms of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib.

Physiologically acceptable salts, including pharmaceutically utilizable salts, of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib generally comprise a nontoxic salt component. They can contain inorganic or organic salt components. Such salts can be formed, for example, from compounds of the formulae Ia and lb which contain an acidic group, for example a carboxylic acid group (hydroxycarbonyl group, HO—C(O)—), and nontoxic inorganic or organic bases. Suitable bases are, for example, alkali metal compounds or alkaline earth metal compounds, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or sodium hydrogencarbonate, or ammonia, organic amino compounds and quaternary ammonium hydroxides. Reactions of compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib with bases for the preparation of the salts are in general carried out according to customary procedures in a solvent or diluent. Examples of salts of acidic groups thus are sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium salts or ammonium salts which can also carry one or more organic groups on the nitrogen atom. Compounds of the formulae Ia and lb which contain a basic, i.e. protonatable, group, for example an amino group or a basic heterocycle, can be present in the form of their acid addition salts with physiologically acceptable acids, for example as salt with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, benzoic acid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, which in general can be prepared from the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb by reaction with an acid in a solvent or diluent according to customary procedures. If the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb simultaneously contain an acidic and a basic group in the molecule, the invention also includes internal salts (betaines, zwitterions) in addition to the salt forms mentioned. The present invention also comprises all salts of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb which, because of low physiological tolerability, are not directly suitable for use as a pharmaceutical, but are suitable as intermediates for chemical reactions or for the preparation of physiologically acceptable salts, for example by means of anion exchange or cation exchange. The present invention also comprises all solvates of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their salts, including physiologically acceptable solvates, such as hydrates, i.e. adducts with water, and adducts with alcohols like (C₁-C₄)-alkanols, as well as active metabolites of compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib and prodrugs of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, i.e. compounds which in vitro may not necessarily exhibit pharmacological activity but which in vivo are converted into pharmacologically active compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, for example compounds which are converted by metabolic hydrolysis into a compound of the formulae Ia and lb, such as compounds in which a carboxylic acid group is present in esterified form or in the form of an amide.

In one embodiment of the invention, the group G is chosen from the series consisting of R⁷¹—O—C(O)—, R⁷²—N(R⁷³)—C(O)— and tetrazol-5-yl, in another embodiment from the series consisting of R⁷¹—O-C(O)— and R⁷²—N(R⁷³)—C(O)—, in another embodiment G is R⁷¹—O—C(O)—, and in another embodiment G is R72—N(R73)—C(O)—.

In another embodiment the group Het⁴, independently of each other group Het⁴, is a saturated or unsaturated 5-membered to 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one to four ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—, oxo and NC—;

In another embodiment the group Het⁴, independently of each other group Het⁴, is a unsaturated 5-membered to 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one to four ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur which is optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O— and NC—;

In another embodiment the group Het⁴, independently of each other group Het⁴, is selected from 1, 2-oxadiazolyl, tetrazlolyl, pyrazolyl, furanyl, pyridinyl, pyriminyl, which is optionally substituted by methyl.

In one embodiment of the invention, a group Ar in any occurrence in the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, independently of each other group Ar, is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one or two identical or different ring heteroatoms, in another embodiment one ring heteroatom, which is chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, and which is bonded via a ring carbon atom, in another embodiment Ar is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 6-membered heterocycle which comprises one or two nitrogen atoms as ring heteroatoms, in another embodiment Ar is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl, thiophenyl and pyridinyl, in another embodiment from the series consisting of phenyl and thiophenyl, in another embodiment from the series consisting of phenyl and pyridinyl, in another embodiment a group Ar is phenyl, and in another embodiment a group Ar is pyridinyl, wherein the phenyl and all heterocycles are optionally substituted as indicated with respect to the compounds of formulae Ia and lb in general or in any embodiment specified above or below. In one embodiment, the number of substituents which are optionally present on a group Ar, independently of each other group Ar, is one, two, three or four, in another embodiment one, two or three, in another embodiment one or two, in another embodiment one, and in another embodiment a group Ar is unsubstituted. In one embodiment, in case that substituents from the series consisting of —O—CH₂—O—and —O—CF₂—O— are present on a group Ar, not more than two such substituents, in another embodiment not more than one such substituent, are present, either without any other substituents or together with any other substituents. In one embodiment, the substituents which are optionally present on a group Ar, independently of each other group Ar, are chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, —O—CH₂—O—, —O—CF₂—O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m, and NC—, in another embodiment from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m— and NC—, in another embodiment from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O— and NC—, in another embodiment from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl and (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, in another embodiment from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—, in another embodiment from the series consisting of halogen and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl.

A subject of the invention are all compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib wherein any one or more structural elements such as groups, substituents and numbers are defined as in any of the specified embodiments or definitions of the elements or have one or more of the specific meanings which are mentioned herein as examples of elements, wherein all combinations of one or more specified embodiments and/or definitions and/or specific meanings of the elements are a subject of the present invention. Also with respect to all such compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, all their stereoisomeric forms and mixtures of stereoisomeric forms in any ratios, and their physiologically acceptable salts, and the physiologically acceptable solvates of any of them, are a subject of the present invention.

As an example of compounds of the invention which with respect to any structural elements are defined as in specified embodiments of the invention or definitions of such elements, compounds of the formulae Ia and lb may be mentioned wherein R¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF₃and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl; and all other groups and numbers are defined as in the general definition of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb or in any specified embodiments of the invention or definitions of structural elements, in any of their stereoisomeric forms or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms in any ratio, and their physiologically acceptable salts, and the physiologically acceptable solvates of any of them.

As another such example of compounds of the invention which with respect to any structural elements are defined as in specified embodiments of the invention or definitions of such elements, compounds of the formulae Ia and lb may be mentioned wherein

R⁵⁰is hydrogen;

R⁶⁰is hydrogen.

R¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF₃and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl;

R²is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, halogen, CF₃and (C₁-C₄)-alkyl.

R³⁰is R³²—C_u,H_2u—, wherein u is an integer chosen from the series consisting of 0 and 1; R³²is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one, two or three identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, wherein the phenyl and the heterocycle all are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, R³³, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, R³³—O—, R³³—(C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O—, —O—CH₂—O—, —O—CF₂—O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m—, H₂N—S(O)₂—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-NH—S(O)₂—, di((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)N—S(O)₂—, H₂N—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-NH—, di((C₁-C₆)-alkyl)N—, Het¹, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-C(O)—NH—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-S(O)₂—NH— and NC—; R³³is chosen from the series consisting of phenyl and an aromatic 5-membered or 6-membered monocyclic heterocycle which comprises one, two or three identical or different ring heteroatoms chosen from the series consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur and is bonded via a ring carbon atom, wherein the phenyl and the heterocycle all are optionally substituted by one or more identical or different substituents chosen from the series consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, HO—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-O—, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl-S(O)_m—, H₂N—S(O)₂—, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-NH—S(O)₂—, di((C₁-C₄)-alkyl)N—S(O)₂— and NC—;

R⁴⁰is hydrogen.

G is R⁷¹—O—C(O)— and R⁷²—N(R⁷³)—C(O)—;

R⁷¹is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen and (C₁-C₈)-alkyl;

R⁷²is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl;

R⁷³is chosen from the series consisting of hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl.

R³⁰is R³²—C_uH_2u— wherein u is an integer 0;

R⁴⁰is hydrogen,

A subject of the invention also is a compound of the formulae Ia and Ib which is chosen from any of the specific compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib which are disclosed herein, or is any one of the specific compounds of the formulae Ia and lb which are disclosed herein, irrespective thereof whether they are disclosed as a free compound and/or as a specific salt, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or a physiologically acceptable solvate of any of them, wherein the compound of the formulae Ia and lb is a subject of the invention in any of its stereoisomeric forms or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms in any ratio.

For example, a subject of the invention is a compound of the formulae Ia and Ib which is chosen from

(R)-4-Phenyl-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

3-(4′-Fluoro-biphenyl-4-yl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-m-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-Phenyl-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Pyridin-4-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Pyrazin-2-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Methyl-5-trifluoronnethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-p-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-p-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2, 3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluormethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(3-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluorornethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonynl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(3-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}cyclohexyl-acetic acid

(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-o-Tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Methyl-2-p-tolyl-thiazole-5-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-{[2-(2-chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2, 3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(3S,4R)-4-Phenyl-1-[4-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]propionic acid

2-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

2-Phenyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbony]-amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid

3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid 3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

3-Cyclohexyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

3-Cyclohexyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

4-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

4-Phenyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

4-Phenyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-butyric acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid or which is any one of these compounds, or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof, or a physiologically acceptable solvate of any of them, wherein the compound of the formulae Ia and Ib is a subject of the invention in any of its stereoisomeric forms or a mixture of stereoisomeric forms in any ratio, unless a specific stereoisomeric form is specified with respect to any carbon atoms in the respective compound.

Preparation Another subject of the present invention are processes for the preparation of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib which are outlined below and by which the compounds are obtainable. For example, the preparation of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb can be carried out by reacting a compound of the I with a compound of the formula II with formation of an amide bond. Various synthetic methods for the formation of the amide bond are described in C. A. G. N. Montalbetti et al., Tetrahedron 61 (2005), 10827-10852, for example.

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The groups R¹⁰, R³⁰, R⁴⁰, R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰in the compounds of the formulae II and III are defined as in the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and additionally functional groups can be present in protected form or in the form of a precursor group which is later converted into the final group. The group J in the compounds of the formulae Ia and IbI can be HO— (hydroxy), i.e. the compound of the formulae Ia and IbI can thus be a carboxylic acid, or another group which can be replaced by the group NH in the compound of the formulae Ia and IbII in a substitution reaction, for example an aryloxy group such as optionally substituted phenoxy or an alkyloxy group such as a (C₁-C₄)-alkyl-O— group, for example a (C₁-C₃)-alkyl-O— group like methoxy or ethoxy, or halogen, for example chlorine or bromine, and the compound of the formula II can thus be a reactive ester like an aryl ester or alkyl ester, for example a methyl ester or ethyl ester, or an acid halide, for example an acid chloride or acid bromide, of the respective carboxylic acid. The compounds of the formulae II and III can also be employed, and the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb obtained, in the form of a salt, for example an acid addition salt such as an hydrohalide, for example a hydrochloride, of the compound of the formula III and/or an alkaline metal salt, for example a sodium salt, of a compound of the formula II in which J is HO—. Likewise, in all other reactions in the preparation of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib, including the preparation of starting compounds, compounds can also be employed and/or products obtained in the form a salt.

In case a compound of the formula II is employed in which J is HO—, the carboxylic acid group HO—C(O)— is generally activated in situ by means of a customary amide coupling reagent or converted into a reactive carboxylic acid derivative which can be prepared in situ or isolated. For example, the compound of the formula II in which J is HO— can be converted into an acid halide, such as the compound of the formula II in which J is chlorine or bromine, by treatment with thionyl chloride, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus tribromide or oxalyl chloride, or treated with an alkyl chloroformate like ethyl chloroformate or isobutyl chloroformate to give a mixed anhydride. In a favorable method for the conversion into the acid chloride, the acid is treated with oxalyl chloride in the presence of a catalytic amount of an amide such as N,N-dimethylformamide in an inert solvent such as a hydrocarbon or chlorinated hydrocarbon or an ether, at temperatures from about 0° C. to about 60° C., for example at room temperature. Customary amide coupling reagents which can be employed, are propanephosphonic anhydride, N,N′-carbonyldiazoles like N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), carbodiimides like 1,3-diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC), 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) or 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), carbodiimides together with additives like 1-hydroxy-benzotriazole (HOBT) or 1-hydroxy-7-azabenzotriazole (HOAT), uronium-based coupling reagents like O-(7-azabenzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU), O-(benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HBTU) or O-(cyano(ethoxycarbonyl)methyleneamino)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (TOTU), and phosphonium-based coupling reagents like (benzotriazol-1-yloxy)tris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (BOP), (benzotriazol-1-yloxy)tripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP) or bromotripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBroP).

The reaction conditions for the preparation of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib from compounds of the formulae II and III depend on the particulars of the specific case, for example the meaning of the group J or the employed coupling reagent, and are familiar to a skilled person in view of the general knowledge in the art. For example, in case a compound of the formula II in which J is alkyl-O—, like methoxy or ethoxy, is reacted with a compound of the formula III, generally the reaction is carried out in an inert solvent, for example a hydrocarbon or chlorinated hydrocarbon like benzene, toluene, xylene, chlorobenzene, dichloromethane, chloroform or dichloroethane, an ether like tetrahydrofuran (THF), 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, dioxane, dibutyl ether, diisopropyl ether or dimethoxyethane (DME), or a mixture of solvents, at elevated temperatures, for example at temperatures from about 40° C. to about 140° C., in particular at temperatures from about 50° C. to about 120° C., for example at about the boiling temperature of the solvent. In case a compound of the formula II in which J is halogen, like chlorine or bromine, is reacted with a compound of the formula III, generally the reaction is likewise carried out in an inert solvent, for example a hydrocarbon or chlorinated hydrocarbon or ether like the aforementioned ones, an ester like ethyl acetate or butyl acetate, a nitrile like acetonitrile, or water, or a mixture of solvents including a mixture of water and an organic solvent which is miscible or immiscible with water, at temperatures from about −10° C. to about 100° C., in particular at temperatures from about 0° C. to about 80° C., for example at about room temperature. Favorably, the reaction of a compound of the formula II in which J is halogen with a compound of the formula III is carried out in the presence of a base such as a tertiary amine, like triethylamine, N-ethyl-diisopropylamine (EDIA), N-methylmorpholine, N-ethylmorpholine or pyridine, or an inorganic base such as an alkaline metal hydroxide, carbonate or hydrogencarbonate, like sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate or sodium hydrogencarbonate.

In case a compound of the formula II in which J is HO— is reacted with a compound of the formula III and the carboxylic acid group is activated by means of an amide coupling reagent such as, for example, a carbodiimide or TOTU, the reaction is generally carried out under anhydrous conditions in an inert aprotic solvent, for example an ether like THF, dioxane or DME, an amide like N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), at temperatures from about —10° C. to about 40° C., in particular at temperatures from about 0° C. to about 30° C., for example at room temperature, in the presence of a base such as a tertiary amine, like triethylamine, EDIA, N-methylmorpholine or N-ethylmorpholine. In case the compound of the formula III is employed in the form of an acid addition salt in the reaction with the compound of the formula II, usually a sufficient amount of a base is added in order to liberate the free compound of the formula III.

As indicated above, during the formation of the amide bond between the compounds of the formulae II and Ill functional groups in the compounds of the formulae II and III can be present in protected form or in the form of a precursor group. Depending on the particulars of the specific case, it may be necessary or advisable for avoiding an undesired course of the reaction or side reactions to temporarily block any functional groups by protective groups and remove them later, or to let functional groups be present in the form of a precursor group which is later converted into the desired final group. This applies correspondingly to all reactions in the course of the synthesis of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb including the synthesis of intermediates, starting compounds and building blocks. Respective synthetic strategies are commonly used in the art. Details about protective groups and their introduction and removal are described in P. G. M. Wuts and T. W. Greene, Greene's Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 4. ed. (2007), John Wiley & Sons, for example. Examples of protective groups which may be mentioned, are benzyl protective groups which may occur in the form of benzyl ethers of hydroxy groups and benzyl esters of carboxylic acid groups from which the benzyl group can be removed by catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of a palladium catalyst, tert-butyl protective groups which may occur in the form of tert-butyl esters of carboxylic acid groups from which the tert-butyl group can be removed by treatment with trifluoroacetic acid, acyl protective groups which may be used to protect hydroxy groups and amino groups in the form of esters and amides and which can be cleaved by acidic or basic hydrolysis, and alkyloxycarbonyl protective groups which may occur in the form of tert-butoxycarbonyl derivatives of amino groups which can be cleaved by treatment with trifluoroacetic acid. Undesired reactions of carboxylic acid groups, for example the carboxylic acid group present in the compound of the formula III in case G is a carboxylic acid group in the desired compound of the formulae Ia and Ib, can also be avoided by employing them in the reaction with the compounds of the formula II in the form of other esters, for example in the form of alkyl esters like the methyl or ethyl ester which can be cleaved by hydrolysis, for example by means of an alkaline metal hydroxide like sodium hydroxide or lithium hydroxide. As examples of a precursor group, the cyano group (NC—, N≡C—) may be mentioned which can be converted into a carboxylic acid group, a carboxylic acid ester group and a carboxamide group under hydrolytic conditions or into a aminomethyl group by reduction, and the nitro group which can be converted into an amino group by reduction, for example by catalytic hydrogenation or by reduction with sodium dithionite, for example. A further example of a precursor group is an oxo group, which may initially be present in the course of the synthesis of compounds of the formulae Ia and lb containing a hydroxy group, and which can be reduced, for example with a complex hydride such as sodium borohydride, or reacted with an organometallic compound, for example a Grignard compound. If any protective groups or precursor groups are present in the compounds of the formulae II and III and the direct product of the reaction is not yet the desired final compound, the removal of the protective group or conversion into the desired compound can in general also be carried out in situ.

The starting compounds for the synthesis of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib can generally be prepared according to procedures described in the literature or analogously to such procedures, or are commercially available.

A procedure for the synthesis of compounds of 2-oxygen-substituted [1,3]thiazole-4-carboxylic acid derivatives, which comprises the exchange of the bromine atom in ethyl 2-bromo-thiazole-3-carboxylates, which may be obtained from halo-pyruvates by condensation with thiourea and diazotation of the obtained 2-amino-thiazole derivative and treatment with a copper bromide as is also described in T. R. Kelly et al., J. Org. Chem. 61 (1996), 4623-4633, with an oxygen substituent, is described in WO 94/27983; WO 02/14311 and WO 2009/104155. Likewise further compounds of the formula II can be prepared.

The 6-amino acids and derivatives of the formula III are commercially available or can be synthesized by well-known standard methods, or analogously to such methods, from readily available starting compounds. For example, for the preparation of 6-amino acids and their alkyl esters of the formula III in which R⁵⁰and R⁶⁰are hydrogen, can carbonyl compounds of the formula R³⁰—C(O)—R⁴⁰, in particular aldehydes of the formula R³²—C(O)—H, be reacted with malonic acid mono-ethyl ester and ammonia in the presence of a base such as an alkaline metal hydroxide like potassium hydroxide in a solvent such as an alcohol like ethanol, as described in V. M. Rodionov et al., lzv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Ser. Khim. (1952), 696-702 (Chem. Abstr. 47 (1953), abstr. no. 61888), or ammonia added to the double bond in the condensation product of the carbonyl compound with malonic acid or diethyl malonate and in the case of the condensation product with diethyl malonate the reaction product treated with an acid such as hydrochloric acid, as described in V. Scudi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 57 (1935), 1279; or M. K. Tse et al., Chem. Eur. J. 12 (2006), 1855-1874, and in the obtained product an ester group hydrolyzed to the carboxylic acid, or a carboxylic acid group esterified, respectively, as desired and outlined above. Enantiomerically pure such compounds of the formula III, for example, can be obtained from the racemic compounds by crystallization of a salt with an optically active acid, such as tartaric acid, by stereoselective enzymatic or microbial degradation, for example as described in the mentioned article by M. K. Tse et al., or in J. Mano et al., Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry 70 (2006), 1941-1946. In another strategy for the synthesis of such compounds, in particular compounds in which R⁴° , R⁵° and R⁶° are hydrogen and R³⁰is R³², the respective 3-substituted acrylic acid, which can be obtained from the corresponding aldehyde, is converted into the acid chloride, for example with oxalyl chloride, and the acid chloride converted with an alcohol into an ester, for example into the tert-butyl ester using tert-butanol, and the amino group is then introduced by reaction with the lithium salt of an optically active amine, for example the lithium salt of (R)-(+)-N-benzyl-N-(1-phenylethyl)amine, and in the obtained 3-substituted tert-butyl 3-(N-benzyl-N-(1-phenylethyl)amino)propionate the benzyl group and the phenylethyl group is cleaved off by means of catalytic hydrogenation (cf. S. G. Davies et al., Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2 (1991), 183-186); S. G. Davies et al., J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1 (1994), 1129-1139).

A subject of the invention are in particular the novel specific starting compounds and intermediates described herein. Independently thereof whether they are described as a free compound and/or as a specific salt, they are a subject of the invention both in the form of the free compounds and in the form of their salts, and if a specific salt is described, additionally in the form of this specific salt.

The compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib inhibit the protease cathepsin A as can be demonstrated in the pharmacological test described below and in other tests which are known to a person skilled in the art. The compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates therefore are valuable pharmaceutical active compounds. The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates can be used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure including systolic heart failure, diastolic heart failure, diabetic heart failure and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, left ventricular dysfunction including left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial remodeling including myocardial remodeling after infarction or after cardiac surgery, valvular heart diseases, vascular hypertrophy, vascular remodeling including vascular stiffness, hypertension including pulmonary hypertension, portal hypertension and systolic hypertension, atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), restenosis, thrombosis and vascular permeability disorders, ischemia and/or reperfusion damage including ischemia and/or reperfusion damage of the heart and ischemia and/or reperfusion damage of the retina, inflammation and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, renal diseases such as renal papillary necrosis and renal failure including renal failure after ischemia/reperfusion, pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute respiratory dystress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory tract infections and lung carcinoma, immunological diseases, diabetic complications including diabetic nephropathy and diabetic cardiomyopathy, fibrotic diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis including idiopathic lung fibrosis, cardiac fibrosis, vascular fibrosis, perivascular fibrosis, renal fibrosis including renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, fibrosing skin conditions including keloid formation, collagenosis and scleroderma, and liver fibrosis, liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis, pain such as neuropathic pain, diabetic pain and inflammatory pain, macular degeneration, neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders, or for cardioprotection including cardioprotection after myocardial infarction and after cardiac surgery, or for renoprotection, for example. The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates can be used as diuretic (stand-alone treatment or in combination with established diuretics). The treatment of diseases is to be understood as meaning both the therapy of existing pathological changes or malfunctions of the organism or of existing symptoms with the aim of relief, alleviation or cure, and the prophylaxis or prevention of pathological changes or malfunctions of the organism or of symptoms in humans or animals which are susceptible thereto and are in need of such a prophylaxis or prevention, with the aim of a prevention or suppression of their occurrence or of an attenuation in the case of their occurrence. For example, in patients who on account of their disease history are susceptible to myocardial infarction, by means of the prophylactic or preventive medicinal treatment the occurrence or re-occurrence of a myocardial infarction can be prevented or its extent and sequelae decreased, or in patients who are susceptible to attacks of asthma, by means of the prophylactic or preventive medicinal treatment such attacks can be prevented or their severity decreased. The treatment of diseases can occur both in acute cases and in chronic cases. The efficacy of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib can be demonstrated in the pharmacological test described below and in other tests which are known to a person skilled in the art. The compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib with G selected from R⁷²—N(R⁷³)—C(O)— and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates can also be used as prodrugs.

The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates can therefore be used in animals, in particular in mammals and specifically in humans, as a pharmaceutical or medicament on their own, in mixtures with one another or in the form of pharmaceutical compositions. A subject of the present invention also are the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates for use as a pharmaceutical, as well as pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments which comprise an efficacious dose of at least one compound of the formulae Ia and Ib and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof and/or solvate thereof as an active ingredient and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, i.e. one or more pharmaceutically innocuous, or nonhazardous, vehicles and/or excipients, and optionally one or more other pharmaceutical active compounds. A subject of the present invention furthermore are the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates for use in the treatment of the diseases mentioned above or below, including the treatment of any one of the mentioned diseases, for example the treatment of heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiac fibrosis, or ischemia and/or reperfusion damage, or for cardioprotection, the use of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of the diseases mentioned above or below, including the treatment of any one of the mentioned diseases, for example the treatment of heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiac fibrosis, or ischemia and/or reperfusion damage, or for cardioprotection, wherein the treatment of diseases comprises their therapy and prophylaxis as mentioned above, as well as their use for the manufacture of a medicament for the inhibition of cathepsin A. A subject of the invention also are methods for the treatment of the diseases mentioned above or below, including the treatment of any one of the mentioned diseases, for example the treatment of heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiac fibrosis, or ischemia and/or reperfusion damage, or for cardioprotection, which comprise administering an efficacious amount of at least one compound of the formulae Ia and Ib and/or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof and/or solvate thereof to a human or an animal which is in need thereof. The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments comprising them can be administered enterally, for example by oral, sublingual or rectal administration, parenterally, for example by intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection or infusion, or by another type of administration such as topical, percutaneous, transdermal, intra-articular or intraocular administration.

The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates can also be used in combination with other pharmaceutical active compounds, wherein in such a combination use the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib and/or their physiologically acceptable salts and/or solvates and one or more other pharmaceutical active compounds can be present in one and the same pharmaceutical composition or in two or more pharmaceutical compositions for separate, simultaneous or sequential administration. Examples of such other pharmaceutical active compounds are diuretics, aquaretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, renin inhibitors, beta blockers, digoxin, aldosterone antagonists, NO donors, nitrates, hydralazines, ionotropes, vasopressin receptor antagonists, soluble guanylate cyclase activators, statins, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-α) activators, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) activators, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone, metformin, sulfonylureas, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) inhibitors, insulins, anti-arrhythmics, endothelin receptor antagonists, calcium antagonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, factor II/factor IIa inhibitors, factor IX/factor IXa inhibitors, factor X/factor Xa inhibitors, factor XIII/factor XIIIa inhibitors, heparins, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists, P2Y12 receptor antagonists, clopidogrel, coumarins, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, acetylsalicylic acid, RAF kinase inhibitors and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors. A subject of the present invention also is the said combination use of any one or more of the compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib disclosed herein and their physiologically acceptable salts and solvates, with any one or more, for example one or two, of the mentioned other pharmaceutical active compounds.

The pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments according to the invention normally contain from about 0.5 to about 90 percent by weight of compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and/or physiologically acceptable salts and/or solvates thereof, and an amount of active ingredient of the formulae Ia and lb and/or its physiologically acceptable salt and/or solvate which in general is from about 0.2 mg to about 1.5 g, particularly from about 0.2 mg to about 1 g, more particularly from about 0.5 mg to about 0.5 g, for example from about 1 mg to about 0.3 g, per unit dose. Depending on the kind of the pharmaceutical composition and other particulars of the specific case, the amount may deviate from the indicated ones. The production of the pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments can be carried out in a manner known per se. For this, the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and/or their physiologically acceptable salts and/or solvates are mixed together with one or more solid or liquid vehicles and/or excipients, if desired also in combination with one or more other pharmaceutical active compounds such as those mentioned above, and brought into a suitable form for dosage and administration, which can then be used in human medicine or veterinary medicine.

As vehicles, which may also be looked upon as diluents or bulking agents, and excipients suitable organic and inorganic substances can be used which do not react in an undesired manner with the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb. As examples of types of excipients, or additives, which can be contained in the pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments, lubricants, preservatives, thickeners, stabilizers, disintegrants, wetting agents, agents for achieving a depot effect, emulsifiers, salts, for example for influencing the osmotic pressure, buffer substances, colorants, flavorings and aromatic substances may be mentioned. Examples of vehicles and excipients are water, vegetable oils, waxes, alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol, 1,2-propanediol, benzyl alcohols, glycerol, polyols, polyethylene glycols or polypropylene glycols, glycerol triacetate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gelatin, cellulose, carbohydrates such as lactose or starch like corn starch, sodium chloride, stearic acid and its salts such as magnesium stearate, talc, lanolin, petroleum jelly, or mixtures thereof, for example saline or mixtures of water with one or more organic solvents such as mixtures of water with alcohols. For oral and rectal use, pharmaceutical forms such as, for example, tablets, film-coated tablets, sugar-coated tablets, granules, hard and soft gelatin capsules, suppositories, solutions, including oily, alcoholic or aqueous solutions, syrups, juices or drops, furthermore suspensions or emulsions, can be used. For parenteral use, for example by injection or infusion, pharmaceutical forms such as solutions, for example aqueous solutions, can be used. For topical use, pharmaceutical forms such as ointments, creams, pastes, lotions, gels, sprays, foams, aerosols, solutions or powders can be used. Further suitable pharmaceutical forms are, for example, implants and patches and forms adapted to inhalation. The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their physiologically acceptable salts can also be lyophilized and the obtained lyophilizates used, for example, for the production of injectable compositions. In particular for topical application, also liposomal compositions are suitable. The pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments can also contain one or more other active ingredients and/or, for example, one or more vitamins.

As usual, the dosage of the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb depends on the circumstances of the specific case and is adjusted by the physician according to the customary rules and procedures. It depends, for example, on the compound of the formulae Ia and lb administered and its potency and duration of action, on the nature and severity of the individual syndrome, on the sex, age, weight and the individual responsiveness of the human or animal to be treated, on whether the treatment is acute or chronic or prophylactic, or on whether further pharmaceutical active compounds are administered in addition to a compound of the formulae Ia and Ib. Normally, in the case of administration to an adult weighing about 75 kg, a dose from about 0.1 mg to about 100 mg per kg per day, in particular from about 1 mg to about 20 mg per kg per day, for example from about 1 mg to about 10 mg per kg per day (in each case in mg per kg of body weight), is administered. The daily dose can be administered in the form of a single dose or divided into a number of individual doses, for example two, three or four individual doses. The administration can also be carried out continuously, for example by continuous injection or infusion. Depending on the individual behavior in a specific case, it may be necessary to deviate upward or downward from the indicated dosages.

Besides as a pharmaceutical active compound in human medicine and veterinary medicine, the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb can also be employed as an aid in biochemical investigations or as a scientific tool or for diagnostic purposes, for example in in-vitro diagnoses of biological samples, if an inhibition of cathepsin A is intended. The compounds of the formulae Ia and lb and their salts can also be used as intermediates, for example for the preparation of further pharmaceutical active substances.

The following examples illustrate the invention.

Abbreviations

ACN acetonitrile

DCM dichloromethane

DMF N,N-dimethylformamide

DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide

EA ethyl acetate

EDIA N-ethyl-diisopropylamine

FA formic acid

MOH methanol

NEM N-ethyl-morpholine

TFA trifluoroacetic acid

THF tetrahydrofuran

TOTU O-(cyano(ethoxycarbonyl)methyleneamino)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate

When example compounds containing a basic group were purified by preparative high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) on reversed phase (RP) column material and, as customary, the eluent was a gradient mixture of water and acetonitrile containing trifluoroacetic acid, they were in part obtained in the form of their acid addition salts with trifluoroacetic acid, depending on the details of the work-up such as evaporation or lyophilization conditions. In the names of the example compounds and the structural formulae such contained trifluoroacetic acid is not specified. Likewise are other acid components of example compounds obtained in the form of an acid addition salt in general not specified in the name and the formula.

The prepared compounds were in general characterized by spectroscopic data and chromatographic data, in particular mass spectra (MS) and HPLC retention times (Rt; in min) which were obtained by combined analytical HPLC/MS characterization (LC/MS), and/or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. Unless specified otherwise, ¹H-NMR spectra were recorded at 500 MHz in D₆-DMSO as solvent at 298 K. In the NMR characterization, the chemical shift δ (in ppm), the number of hydrogen atoms (H), and the multiplicity (s: singlet, d: doublet, dd: doublet of doublets, t: triplet, q: quartet, m: multiplet) of the peaks as determined from the graphically depicted spectra are given. In the MS characterization, in general the mass number (m/z) of the peak of the molecular ion [M], for example [M⁺], or of a related ion such as the ion [M+1], for example [(M+1)⁺], i.e. the protonated molecular ion [(M+H)⁺], or the ion [M−1], for example [(M−1)⁻], i.e. the deprotonated molecular ion [(M−H)⁻], which was formed depending on the ionization method used, is given. Generally, the ionization method was electrospray ionization (ES).The particulars of the LC/MS methods used are as follows.

Method LC1

Column: YMC-Pack Jsphere H80, 33×2.1 mm, 4 μm; flow: 1.0 ml/min; room temperature; eluent A: water+0.05% TFA; eluent B: ACN+0.05% TFA; gradient: 98% A+2% B for 1.0 min, then to 5% A+95% B within 4.0 min, then 5% A+95% B for 1.25 min; MS ionization method: ES⁺

Method LC2

Column: Waters XBridge C18, 50×4.6 mm, 2.5 μm; flow: 1.7 ml/min; 40° C.; eluent A: water+0.05% TFA; eluent B: ACN+0.05% TFA; gradient: 95% A+5% B for 0.2 min, then to 5% A+95% B within 2.2 min, then 5% A+95% B for 1.1 min, then to 95% A+5% B within 0.1 min, then 95% A+5% B for 0.9 min; MS ionization method: ES⁺

Method LC3

Column: Waters UPLC BEH C18, 50×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm; flow: 0.9 ml/min; 55° C.; eluent A: water+0.05% FA; eluent B: ACN+0.035% FA; gradient: from 98% A+2% B to 5% A+95% B within 2.0 min, then 5% A+95% B for 0.6 min, then to 95% A+5% B within 0.1 min, then 95% A+5% B for 0.3 min; MS ionization method: ES⁺

Experimental

In general the compounds of the formulae Ia and lb are synthesized according to the general scheme:

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The carboxylic acid can be an aromatic or heteroaromatic carboxylic acid, which is either commercially available or synthesized according to procedures described for example in Houben-Weyl “Methods of Organic Chemistry”.

A typical procedure for the synthesis of 2-Aryl-thiazole-4-carboxylic acids is for example described in Helvetica Chimica Acta 1944, 1432-1433.

And a typical procedure for the synthesis of 2-Arylamino-thiazole-4-carboxylic acids can be found in Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2005, 437.

The formation of the amide bond between the carboxylic acid and the β-amino-acid can be done by the use of coupling agents well known to a person skilled in the art and described for example in Tetrahedron (2005), 61(46), 10827-10852. As alternatives instead of a carboxylic acid a carboxylic acid chloride and instead of the free β-amino acid a β-amino acid ester, especially methyl- or ethylester, may be used.

The β-amino-acids used within this work are either commercially available or prepared by methods described for example in JACS 1935, 1279 or by Rhodionow in Chem. Abstr. 1953, 1051. The Rhodionow scheme is depicted below:

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Enantiopure β-amino acids can either be obtained commercially or prepared from the racemic material by procedures described in Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, 2006, 1941.

A general procedure for the coupling process using commercially available heterocycles and β-amino acids is given below:

General Procedure A

0.25 mmol of the carboxylic acid is weighed into a reaction vial, 1.25 mmol N-ethyl morpholine in 1 ml DMF is added, followed by 0.245 mmol TOTU in 0.5 ml DMF. The mixture is allowed to react for 30 min at RT. 0.275 mmol of the amino acid suspended in 0.5 ml DMF is added, the vial is closed with a screw cap and shaken over night at RT. 0.2 ml TFA is added, the solution is filtered through syringe filters and directly submitted to prep HPLC.

Yield of the products: Between 5% and 80%

General procedure A is valid for the synthesis of the following compounds:

(S)-3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

3-(4′-Fluoro-biphenyl-4-yl)-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Amino-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid; compound with trifluoro-acetic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Methoxy-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenylaminoythiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Methoxy-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Methoxy-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-o-tolylamino-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Pyridin-4-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Pyrazin-2-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-p-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(2-Phenylamino-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2,4-Dichloro-phenylamino)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid.

General procedure B

Step 1

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Step 2

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Step 3

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Step 1:

3-[(2-bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic Acid Methyl Ester

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100 mg (0.48 mmol) of 2-bromo-1,3-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid are dissolved in 10 ml of DMF, N-ethylmorpholine (122 mg, 2,2Eq) and TOTU (174 mg, 1.1Eq) are added and the mixture is stirred at RT for 5 minutes. Then 93 mg (1 Eq) of methyl 3-amino-3-(2-methylphenyl)propanoate are added and the mixture is stirred overnight. The solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue subjected to preparative HPLC delivering 3-[(2-bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid methyl ester yields in yields below 80%

Step 2:

3-[(2-Bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic Acid

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100 mg (0.26 mmol) 3-[(2-bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid methyl ester are dissolved in 10 ml MeOH, 0.55 ml of 1N NaOH solution (2.1Eq NaOH) are added and the resulting mixture is stirred for 1 h. 10 ml of water are added and the pH of the resulting mixture is adjusted to 5.5 by addition of 10% HCl and the MeOH removed in vacuo. The remaining aqueous phase is extracted three times with 10 ml of CH2Cl2, the organic layer is collected, dried over Na2SO4 and the solvent removed in vacuo to deliver 3-[(2-Bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid in yields below 90%

Step 3:

3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic Acid

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100 mg (0.27 mmol) of 3-[(2-Bromo-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid are dissolved in 5 ml DMF, 49.6 mg (1.5Eq) of phenylboronic acid, 350 mg of Cs2CO3 (1.08 mmol, 4Eq) and 27 mg (0.1 Eq) of bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II)chloride as catalyst are added. After the addition of 2m1 of water the remaining mixture is heated to 100° C. over night, the solvent is removed in vacuo and the residue subjected to preparative chromatography on a HPLC system to deliver the product 3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid in yields lower than 80%.

A reaction sequence as described above for 2-bromo-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid can also be carried out by starting from 4-Bromo-thiazole-2-carboxylic acid.

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The following compounds can be synthesized according to general procedure B:

The compounds can be a mixture of enantiomers, a racemate or a pure stereoisomeric form

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(3-Fluoro-pyridin-4-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-3-methyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[2-(2-Methyl-furan-3-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[4-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

3-{[4-(3-Fluoro-pyridin-4-yl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[4-(2-Fluoro-3-methyl-phenyl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-{[4-(2-Methyl-furan-3-yl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

Analogously as described in the synthesis examples, the example compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib listed in Table 1 were prepared.

TABLE 1

Example compounds of the formulae Ia and Ib

m/z
Rt
LC/MS
Activity

Example
Compound Name
(1)
(min)
Method
(2)

1
(R)-4-Phenyl-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-
367.27
1.77
LC3
1.71

carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

2
3-(4′-Fluoro-biphenyl-4-yl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
447.13
3.75
LC1
>10

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

3
(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-
367.28
1.79
LC3
0.315

amino]-3-m-tolyl-propionic acid

4
(S)-3-Phenyl-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-
367.28
1.78
LC3
>10

carbonyl)-amino]-butyric acid

5
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
397.1
2.3
LC2
0.368

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

6
(S)-3-{[2-(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-
385.11
2.24
LC2
>10

thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-

propionic acid

7
(S)-3-[(2-Pyridin-4-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
368.06
1.70
LC2
0.805

amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

8
(S)-3-[(2-Pyrazin-2-yl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
369.11
1.98
LC2
2.63

amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

9
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Methyl-5-trifluoromethyl-pyrazol-
439.1
2.37
LC2
3.59

1-yl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-

propionic acid

10
(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-p-tolyl-thiazole-4-
381.12
2.41
LC2
0.187

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

11
(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-
367.29
1.8
LC3
0.404

amino]-3-p-tolyl-propionic acid

12
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-
435.12
2.02
LC3
0.085

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

13
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
421.11
1.83
LC3
0.176

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

14
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-
489.05
2.09
LC3
0.159

dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

15
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
437.24
1.98
LC3
0.209

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

16
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
489.08
1.94
LC3
3.02

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

17
(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-
427.21
1.8
LC3
0.242

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

18
(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
413.2
1.74
LC3
0.498

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

19
(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
431.2
1.9
LC3
0.875

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

20
(S)-3-(2,3-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
481.18
1.86
LC3
6.34

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

21
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-
435.11
1.92
LC3
0.886

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

22
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
421.08
1.86
LC3
0.544

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

23
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-
489.06
2.12
LC3
0.555

dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

24
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
439.1
2.01
LC3
1.07

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

25
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
489.11
1.96
LC3
6.37

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

26
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-
401.12
1.82
LC3
0.149

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

27
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
387.1
1.76
LC3
0.217

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

28
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-
455.07
2.04
LC3
0.282

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

29
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-chloro-
419.16
1.96
LC3
0.1

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

30
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
405.13
1.92
LC3
0.377

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

31
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(3-chloro-
421.1
1.98
LC3
0.703

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

32
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-chloro-
421.08
1.86
LC3
1.4

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

33
(S)-3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
455.12
1.88
LC3
3.11

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

34
(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-
383.14
1.79
LC3
0.313

4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

35
(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
371.12
1.73
LC3
1.48

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

36
(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
389.16
1.88
LC3
0.659

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

37
(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
439.15
1.85
LC3
14.7

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

38
(S)-3-(2-Trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
489.15
1.9
LC3
23.3

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

39
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-
401.13
1.85
LC3
0.807

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

40
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
387.09
1.79
LC3
0.821

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

41
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-
455.06
2.06
LC3
0.583

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

42
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-chloro-
421.1
1.98
LC3
0.238

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

43
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
403.26
1.94
LC3
0.694

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

44
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(3-chloro-
421.1
2.01
LC3
2.98

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

45
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-chloro-
421.09
1.88
LC3
3.54

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

46
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
455.12
1.9
LC3
10.5

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

47
(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-
385.15
1.79
LC3
0.28

4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

48
(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
371.12
1.73
LC3
0.955

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

49
(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
389.17
1.89
LC3
0.724

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

50
(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
437.1
1.85
LC3
>10

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

51
(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
371.21
1.75
LC3
0.457

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

52
(S)-3-(3-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
381.07
1.71
LC3
2.86

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

53
(S)-3-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
371.25
1.75
LC3
1.75

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

54
(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-
385.18
1.92
LC3
0.303

4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

55
(S)-3-(3-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
371.27
1.76
LC3
0.542

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

56
(S)-3-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-
389.17
1.89
LC3
1.05

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

57
(S)-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
377.26
2.06
LC3
>10

carbonyl]-amino}-cyclohexyl-acetic acid

58
(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-[(2-phenyl-
387.1
1.84
LC3
22

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

59
(S)-3-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-[(2-phenyl-
383.13
1.7
LC3
0.976

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

60
(S)-3-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-3-{[2-(4-
451.14
1.83
LC3
14.8

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

61
(S)-3-[(2-o-Tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
435.19
1.85
LC3
0.67

amino]-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic

acid

62
(S)-3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
421.16
1.79
LC3
2.63

amino]-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic

acid

63
(S)-3-[(2-Phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
367.15
1.76
LC3
0.061

amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

64
(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
479.21
2.02
LC3
0.154

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

65
(S)-3-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
387.22
1.81
LC3
0.917

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

66
(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
489.13
2.06
LC3
0.619

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-

phenyl)-propionic acid

67
(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
439.1
2.01
LC3
0.254

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

68
3-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-thiazole-2-
387.22
1.79
LC3
0.455

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

69
(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
387.24
1.82
LC3
0.627

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

70
(S)-3-[(4-Methyl-2-p-tolyl-thiazole-5-
395.17
3.45
LC3
>10

carbonyl)-amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

71
(S)-3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
435.14
2.04
LC3
0.126

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

72
(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-[(2-o-tolyl-
401.15
2.02
LC3
16.6

thiazole-4-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

73
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.06
2.02
LC3
0.070

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

74
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
447.17
1.94
LC3
0.111

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

75
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.04
2.05
LC3
0.288

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

76
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
405.13
1.93
LC3
0.658

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

77
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.14
1.99
LC3
0.712

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-

phenyl)-propionic acid

78
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
403.23
1.93
LC3
0.257

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

79
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
417.14
1.92
LC3
0.705

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

80
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
403.2
1.93
LC3
0.148

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

81
(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-{[2-(2-chloro-
419.14
2.03
LC3
>10

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

82
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
399.18
1.96
LC3
0.03

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

83
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
385.21
1.91
LC3
0.186

carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

84
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
439.16
1.95
LC3
1.35

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-

phenyl)-propionic acid

85
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
401.19
1.87
LC3
0.878

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

86
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
401.19
1.86
LC3
0.975

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

87
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
385.18
1.92
LC3
0.117

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

88
(S)-3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
371.18
1.87
LC3
0.923

carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

89
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.09
2.04
LC3
1.02

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

90
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
445.24
1.96
LC3
1.37

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

91
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
453.19
2.07
LC3
1.91

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

92
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
405.14
1.95
LC3
1.31

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

93
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.14
2.01
LC3
10.4

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-

phenyl)-propionic acid

94
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
405.14
1.95
LC3
3.73

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

95
(S)-3-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
421.2
1.86
LC3
0.038

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

96
(S)-3-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-3-[(4-phenyl-
421.2
1.89
LC3
0.254

thiazole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

97
(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-
421.25
1.85
LC3
0.406

amino]-3-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic

acid

98
(S)-3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
401.17
1.98
LC3
0.660

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

99
(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-
421.27
1.84
LC3
3.31

amino]-3-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-propionic

acid

100
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.07
1.92
LC3
0.686

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

101
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
447.16
1.84
LC3
1.12

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,3-dimethoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

102
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.05
1.95
LC3
2.68

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

103
(3S,4R)-4-Phenyl-1-[4-(4-trifluoromethyl-
447.18
1.9
LC3
>10

phenyl)-thiazole-2-carbonyl]-pyrrolidine-3-

carboxylic acid

104
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
455.12
1.88
LC3
5.39

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(2-trifluoromethyl-

phenyl)-propionic acid

105
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
403.08
1.83
LC3
2.96

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-fluoro-phenyl)-

propionic acid

106
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
417.14
1.81
LC3
17.3

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

107
(S)-3-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-{[2-(4-
455.14
1.94
LC3
3.7

trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-

amino}-propionic acid

108
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
417.15
1.8
LC3
3.4

carbonyl]-amino}-3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-

propionic acid

109
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
401.09
1.86
LC3
0.121

carbonyl]-amino}-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

110
(S)-3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
387.09
1.81
LC3
3.88

carbonyl]-amino}-3-phenyl-propionic acid

111
(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-
379.28
1.96
LC3
0.106

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

112
(S)-3-o-Tolyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-
435.2
1.88
LC3
1.308

thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

113
(S)-3-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-
367.16
1.77
LC3
0.322

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

114
2-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
367.2
1.9
LC3
7.04

amino]-propionic acid

115
2-Phenyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
353.14
1.7
LC3
4.88

amino]-propionic acid

116
3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
421.1
1.98
LC3
7.71

carbonyl]-amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

117
3-{[2-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-
435.12
2.02
LC3
2.75

carbonyl]-amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

118
3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
387.13
1.91
LC3
6.04

amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

119
3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
391.22
2.03
LC3
0.68

amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid

120
3-{[2-(2-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
399.25
1.95
LC3
1.45

amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

121
3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
371.17
1.86
LC3
12.6

amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

122
3-{[2-(2-Fluoro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
385.18
1.9
LC3
4.42

amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

123
3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
387.14
1.93
LC3
>10

amino}-2-phenyl-propionic acid

124
3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
391.24
2.06
LC3
3.42

amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid

125
3-{[2-(3-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
399.29
1.97
LC3
9.06

amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

126
3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
393.15
1.93
LC3
3.94

amino}-3-cyclohexyl-propionic acid

127
3-{[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-
401.12
1.85
LC3
12.6

amino}-4-phenyl-butyric acid

128
3-Cyclohexyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-
373.23
2.03
LC3
0.81

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

129
3-Cyclohexyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-
359.19
1.84
LC3
1.119

carbonyl)-amino]-propionic acid

130
3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(2,3-dichloro-phenyl)-
427.15
2.1
LC3
1.1

thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

131
3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-
377.2
1.98
LC3
1.43

thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-propionic acid

132
3-Cyclohexyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-
427.22
1.95
LC3
11.2

phenyl)-thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-

propionic acid

133
4-Phenyl-3-[(2-o-tolyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
381.22
1.94
LC3
3.37

amino]-butyric acid

134
4-Phenyl-3-[(2-phenyl-thiazole-4-carbonyl)-
367.15
1.75
LC3
3.42

amino]-butyric acid

135
4-Phenyl-3-{[2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-
435.17
1.87
LC3
22.2

thiazole-4-carbonyl]-amino}-butyric acid

136
(S)-3-[(4-Phenyl-thiazole-2-carbonyl)-
367.27
1.79
LC3
0.0889

amino]-3-o-tolyl-propionic acid

(1) Mass spectroscopic characterization; observed mass number of the ion [(M + H)⁺], unless specified otherwise

(2) Cathepsin A inhibitory activity determined in the pharmacological test “Cathepsin A inhibitory activity” described below.

Pharmacological Tests

a) Cathepsin A Inhibitory Activity

Recombinant human cathepsin A (residues 29-480, with a C-terminal 10-His tag; R&D Systems, # 1049-SE) was proteolytically activated with recombinant human cathepsin L (R&D Systems, # 952-CY). Briefly, cathepsin A was incubated at 10 μg/ml with cathepsin L at 1 μg/ml in activation buffer (25 mM 2-(morpholin-4-yl)-ethanesulfonic acid (MES), pH 6.0, containing 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT)) for 15 min at 37° C. Cathepsin L activity was then stopped by the addition of the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64 (N-(trans-epoxysuccinyl)-L-leucine-4-guanidinobutylamide; Sigma-Aldrich, # E3132; dissolved in activation buffer/DMSO) to a final concentration of 10 μM.

The activated cathepsin A was diluted in assay buffer (25 mM MES, pH 5.5, containing 5 mM DTT) and mixed with the test compound (dissolved in assay buffer containing (v/v) 3% DMSO) or, in the control experiments, with the vehicle in a multiple assay plate. After incubation for 15 min at room temperature, as substrate then bradykinin carrying an N-terminal ®Bodipy FL (4,4-d ifluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-propionyl) label (JPT Peptide Technologies GmbH; dissolved in assay buffer) was added to the mixture. The final concentration of cathepsin A was 833 ng/ml and the final concentration of labeled bradykinin 2 μM. After incubation for 15 min at room temperature the reaction was stopped by the addition of stop buffer (130 mM 2-(4-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-piperazin-1-yl)-ethanesulfonic acid, pH 7.4, containing (v/v) 0.013% ®Triton X-100, 0.13% Coating Reagent 3 (Caliper Life Sciences), 6.5% DMSO and 20 μM ebelactone B (Sigma, # E0886)).

Uncleaved substrate and product were then separated by a microfluidic capillary electrophoresis on a LabChip® 3000 Drug Discovery System (12-Sipper-Chip; Caliper Life Sciences) and quantified by determination of the respective peak areas. Substrate turnover was calculated by dividing product peak area by the sum of substrate and product peak areas, and the enzyme activity and the inhibitory effect of the test compound thus quantified. From the percentage of inhibition of cathepsin A activity observed with the test compound at several concentrations, the inhibitory concentration IC₅₀, i.e. the concentration which effects 50% inhibition of enzyme activity was, calculated. IC₅₀values of various example compounds are given in Table 1.

B) In Vivo Antihypertrophic and Renoprotective Activity

The in vivo pharmacological activity of the compounds of the invention can be investigated, for example, in the model of DOCA-salt sensitive rats with unilateral nephrectomy. Briefly, in this model unilateral nephrectomy of the left kidney (UNX) is performed on Sprague Dawley rats of 150 g to 200 g of body weight. After the operation as well as at the beginning of each of the following weeks 30 mg/kg of body weight of DOCA (desoxycorticosterone acetate) are administered to the rats by subcutaneous injection. The nephrectomized rats treated with DOCA are supplied with drinking water containing 1% of sodium chloride (UNX/DOCA rats). The UNX/DOCA rats develop high blood pressure, endothelial dysfunction, myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis as well as renal dysfunction. In the test group (UNX/DOCA Test) and the placebo group (UNX/DOCA Placebo), which consist of randomized UNX/DOCA rats, the rats are treated orally by gavage in two part administrations at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. with the daily dose of the test compound (for example 10 mg/kg of body weight dissolved in vehicle) or with vehicle only, respectively. In a control group (control), which consists of animals which have not been subjected to UNX and DOCA administration, the animals receive normal drinking water and are treated with vehicle only. After five weeks of treatment, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) are measured non-invasively via the tail cuff method. For determination of albuminuria and creatinine, 24 h urine is collected on metabolic cages. Endothelial function is assessed in excised rings of the thoracic aorta as described previously (W. Linz et al., JRAAS (Journal of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system) 7 (2006), 155-161). As a measure of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, heart weight, left ventricular weight and the relation of hydroxyproline and proline are determined in excised hearts.

SUBSTITUTED 3-THIAZOLOAMINO-PROPIONIC ACID DERIVATIVES AND THEIR USE AS PHARMACEUTICALS

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