Derivatives of polymethinium salts of the general formula I, where both terminal heteroaromatic groups of the methinium chain are identical or different and are
benzothiazole, naphthothiazole,
benzimidazole, naphthoimidazole, benzooxazole, naphthooxazole, benzoselenazole, naphthoselenazole,
quinoline, benzoquinoline, indole or benzoindole, the particular structure of which is characterized by the groups A, B, X, Y, with one or more R groups on both terminal heteroaromatic groups of the methinium salt, where R is H, C1 to C12
alkyl, glycol chains with 1 to 8 glycol (OCH2CH2) repeating units terminating with an O—C1 to C12
alkyl substituent or OH group,
alkyl C1 to C8 sulfonic acids or their corresponding
lithium,
sodium or
potassium salts, allyl,
propargyl, phenyl, benzyl, pyridyl,
halogen, CH2OR′, OR′, CHF2, CF3, OCF, OCOR′, CN, CHO, COOR′, CONHR′, CONR′2, CONHOR′, CONHNHR′, CONHNR′2, N3, NO2, SR′, SCN, NHR′, NR′2, NHCOR′, NHCONHR′, NHCONR′2, NHCSNHR′, NHCSNR′2, NHSO2NHR′, NHSO2NR′2, NHCOOR′, N(COOR′)2, B(OR′)2, SO3R′, SO2NHR′, SO2NR′2, SO2R′, where R′ is H, alkyl C1 to C12, phenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, allyl,
propargyl, CF3; CH═CH—CH═CH (i.e. a fused
benzene nucleus), where X is O, S, Se, CR′2, NR′, CH═CH, where R′ has the above meaning; where A is alkyl C1 to C12, benzyl, allyl,
propargyl, a glycol chain with a number of 1 to 8 glycolic (CH2CH2O) repeating units terminating with the
substituent R′, (CH2)jCOR′, (CH2)jCOOR′, (CH2)jSO3R′, (CH2)jSO3H, (CH2)jCONHR′, (CH2)jCONR′2, where j is in the range of 1 to 12 and R′ has the above meaning; where B is phenyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, quinolyl, quinoxalyl, furanyl, thienyl, benzoxazolyl, benzothiazolyl, which may be further substituted by one or more of the same or different substituents R, where R has the above meaning, where in the case of doubly charged salts the group B is formed by pyridyl or quinolyl quaternized on its
nitrogen atom by A, where A is as defined above, where Y is acetate, acetylacetate,
adipate, ascorbate, benzoate, besylate, borate,
bromide, butanoate, citrate, deoxycholate, dihydrogen
phosphate,
phenylacetate,
fluoride,
phosphate, fumarate,
gallate, glutarate,
hexafluorophosphate, hippurate,
hydrogen sulfate,
chloride,
perchlorate, cholate,
isocyanate, isonicotinate,
iodide, caprylate,
cyanate, lactate, laurate, lithocholate, malate, maleate,
malonate, mandelate,
mesylate, monohydrogen
phosphate,
formate, myristate, napsylate, nicotinate,
nitrate, nonafluorobutylsulfonate, oleate,
oxalate, oxopropanoate, palmitate, picrate, pimelate,
propionate, rhodanide, salicylate, sebacate, cinnamate,
stearate, suberate, succinate,
sulfate,
tetrafluoroborate, tosylate, triflate, trifluoroacetate, trichloroacetate,
carbonate,
valerate,
tartrate, and salts of natural amino acids, for the use as an inhibitor of dihydroorotate
dehydrogenase.