Sphingosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract

The invention relates to substituted adamantane compounds, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, processes for their preparation, and methods for inhibiting sphingosine kinase and for treating or preventing hyperproliferative disease, inflammatory disease, or angiogenic disease.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compound of the formula I 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
 R 1  is phenyl, 4-chlorophenyl or 4-fluorophenyl; 
 R 2  is 4-pyridyl, optionally substituted with up to 4 groups that are independently (C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, —OC(O)(C 1 -C 6  alkyl), —C(O)O(C 1 -C 6  alkyl), —CONR′R″, —OC(O)NR′R″, —NR′C(O)R″, —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , —OH, C 1 -C 6  alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, —CN, —CO 2 H, —SH, —S-alkyl, —SOR′R″, —SO 2 R′, —NO 2 , or NR′R″, wherein R′ and R″ are independently H or (C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl, and wherein each alkyl portion of a substituent is optionally further substituted with 1, 2, or 3 groups independently selected from halogen, CN, OH, and NH 2 ; 
 R 4  is H or alkyl; and 
 n is 1 or 2. 
 
     
     
       2. A compound according to  claim 1  wherein R 1  is 4-fluorophenyl or 4-chlorophenyl. 
     
     
       3. A compound according to  claim 1 , that is:
 3-(4-fluorophenyl)-N-(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)adamantane-1-carboxamide; 
 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)adamantane-1-carboxamide; or 
 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(2-pyridin-4-ylethyl)adamantane-1-carboxamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 
 
     
     
       4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to  claim 1 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, medium, or auxiliary agent. 
     
     
       5. A process for preparing a compound according to  claim 1  comprising coupling a compound having the structure 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein X is a Cl or OH, with a compound having the structure 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       optionally using a coupling reagent. 
     
     
       6. A compound according to claim 3 that is 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)adamantane-1-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.  
     
     
       7. A pharmaceutical composition according to claim 4 comprising the compound 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)adamantane-1-carboxamide or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, medium, or auxiliary agent.