Method of using neurotrophic sulfonamide compounds

Abstract

This invention relates to a method of using neurotrophic low molecular weight, small molecule sulfonamide compounds having an affinity for FKBP-type immunophilins, as inhibitors of the enzyme activity associated with immunophilin proteins, particularly peptidyl-prolyl isomerase, or rotamase, enzyme activity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of effecting a neuronal activity in an animal, comprising: 
 administering to the animal a neurotrophically effective amount of a compound of formula I:                          or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:    A is CH 2 , oxygen, NH or N-(C1-C4 alkyl);    B and D are independently Ar, hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl, or Ar substituted (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl, wherein, in each case, one or two of the CH 2  groups of the alkyl or alkenyl chains may contain 1-2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, SO and SO 2  in chemically reasonable substitution patterns, or                          provided that both B and D are not hydrogen;    Q is hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl;    T is Ar or substituted 5-7 membered cycloalkyl with substituents at positions 3 and 4 which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkenyl and carbonyl;    Ar is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 1-napthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-furyl, 3-furyl, 2-thienyl, 3-thienyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, monocyclic and bicyclic heterocyclic ring systems with individual ring sizes being 5 or 6 which may contain in either or both rings a total of 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S; wherein Ar may contain one to three substituents which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C2-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-(C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl, O-(C2-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-benzyl, O-phenyl, 1,2-methylenedioxy, amino, carboxyl and phenyl;    E is (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl substituted with (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, [(C2-C4)-alkyl or (C2-C4)-alkenyl)]-Ar or Ar;    J is hydrogen or C1 or C2 alkyl or benzyl; K is (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl, benzyl or cyclohexylmethyl; or wherein J and K may be taken together to form a 5-7 membered heterocyclic ring which may contain an oxygen, sulfur, SO or SO 2  substituent therein;    n is 0 to 3; and    the stereochemistry at carbon positions 1 and 2 are R or S.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the neuronal activity is selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of neurological disorder.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, physical damage to the brain, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein J and K are taken together and the compound is represented by formula II:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 1 or 2 and m is 0 or 1.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the neuronal activity is selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of neurological disorder.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, physical damage to the brain, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 B is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, benzyl, 2-phenylethyl and 3-phenylpropyl;    D is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 3-phenylpropyl, 3-phenoxyphenyl and 4-phenoxyphenyl; and    E is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 4-methylphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 2-thienyl, 2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl, 4-fluorophenyl, 3-methoxyphenyl, 2-methoxyphenyl, 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl, 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl, methyl, 1-naphthyl, 8-quinolyl, 1-(5-N,N-dimethylamino)-naphthyl, 4-iodophenyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, benzyl, 4-nitrophenyl, 2-nitrophenyl, 4-chlorophenyl and E-styrenyl.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the neuronal activity is selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of neurological disorder.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, physical damage to the brain, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         13 . A method of effecting a neuronal activity in an animal, comprising: 
 administering to the animal a neurotrophically effective amount of a compound of formula III:                          or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:    B and D are independently Ar, hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl, or Ar substituted (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl, wherein, in each case, one or two of the CH 2  groups of the alkyl or alkenyl chains may contain 1-2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, SO and SO 2  in chemically reasonable substitution patterns, or                          provided that both B and D are not hydrogen;    Q is hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl;    T is Ar or substituted 5-7 membered cycloalkyl with substituents at positions 3 and 4 which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkenyl and carbonyl;    Ar is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 1-napthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-furyl, 3-furyl, 2-thienyl, 3-thienyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, monocyclic and bicyclic heterocyclic ring systems with individual ring sizes being 5 or 6 which may contain in either or both rings a total of 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S; wherein Ar may contain one to three substituents which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C2-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-(C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl, O-(C2-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-benzyl, O-phenyl, 1, 2-methylenedioxy, amino, carboxyl and phenyl;    E is (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl substituted with (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, [(C2-C4)-alkyl or (C2-C4)-alkenyl)]-Ar or Ar; and    m is 0 to 3.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the neuronal activity is selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of neurological disorder.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, physical damage to the brain, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  
     
     
         17 . A method of effecting a neuronal activity in an animal, comprising: 
 administering to the animal a neurotrophically effective amount of a compound of formula IV:                          or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:    B and D are independently Ar, hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl that is substituted with a (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl, or Ar substituted (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl, wherein, in each case, one or two of the CH 2  groups of the alkyl or alkenyl chains may contain 1-2 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, SO and SO 2  in chemically reasonable substitution patterns, or                          provided that both B and D are not hydrogen;    Q is hydrogen, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl;    T is Ar or substituted 5-7 membered cycloalkyl with substituents at positions 3 and 4 which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkyl, O-(C1-C4)-alkenyl and carbonyl;    Ar is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 1-napthyl, 2-naphthyl, 2-furyl, 3-furyl, 2-thienyl, 3-thienyl, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, monocyclic and bicyclic heterocyclic ring systems with individual ring sizes being 5 or 6 which may contain in either or both rings a total of 1-4 heteroatoms independently selected from O, N and S; wherein Ar may contain one to three substituents which are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C2-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-(C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl, O-(C2-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, O-benzyl, O-phenyl, 1, 2-methylenedioxy, amino, carboxyl and phenyl;    E is (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkyl, (C1-C6)-straight or branched alkenyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkyl, (C5-C7)-cycloalkenyl substituted with (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkyl or (C1-C4)-straight or branched alkenyl, [(C2-C4)-alkyl or (C2-C4)-alkenyl)]-Ar or Ar; and    m is 0 to 3.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the neuronal activity is selected from the group consisting of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of neurological disorder.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, physical damage to the brain, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.