Azetidine derivatives

Abstract

Compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase, (FAAH), and which are useful in the treatment of diseases or medical conditions which benefit from inhibition of FAAH activity, such as anxiety, depression pain, inflammation, and eating, sleep, neurodegenerative and movement disorders: Formula (I) Wherein Ar1 is optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted monocyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms; Ar2 is optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted monocyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms or optionally substituted fused bicyclic heteroaryl having 5 or 6 ring atoms in each fused ring; and Ar3 is a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted phenylene and optionally substituted monocyclic heteroarylene radicals having 5 or 6 ring atoms.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a class of azetidine derivatives which are inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and can be used in the treatment of diseases or medicines which can be benefited by inhibiting the activity of FAAH Conditions such as treatment of anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation, as well as eating disorders, sleep disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and movement disorders. Background of the invention

[0002] Endogenous agonists of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 include the fatty acid amide anandamide (AEA). AEA is hydrolyzed to form arachidonic acid by membrane-bound protein fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). FAAH was characterized in 1996 by Cravatt and co-workers (Cravatt, Nature 1996, 384, 83). The results demonstrate that FAAH additionally has an effect on the catabolism of a number of important lipid signaling fatty acid amides including: another major endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoyl Glycerol (arachidonoylglycerol) (2-AG...

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