| abstract |
The present invention relates to novel 4-(4-pyridyl)-benzamides of the formula (I). The compounds I possess valuable therapeutic properties and are suitable, in particular, for treating diseases that respond to modulation of Rho kinases (ROCKs). R 1 and R 2 are, independently of each other, hydrogen, hydroxy, cyano, C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy or C 1 -C 8 -haloalkoxy; R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are, independently of each other, hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, cyano, C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 -haloalkoxy, amino, C 1 -C 8 -alkylamino or di-(C 1 -C 8 -alkyl)-amino; R 7 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 -alkyl, C 1 -C 8 -haloalkyl, aryl or aryl-C 1 -C 8 -alkyl; R 8 is a group of the formula —X—W, where X is a single bond, C 1 -C 4 -alkylene or C 1 -C 4 -alkylene-O—, where the alkylene group in the three last-mentioned radicals may be linear or branched and may be partly or fully halogenated and/or may be substituted by a hydroxyl group and/or may be interrupted by an oxygen atom; and W is a cyclic radical selected from phenyl and a 5- or 6-membered saturated, partly unsaturated or aromatic heterocyclic ring which contains as ring members 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from O, S and N and optionally 1 or 2 carbonyl groups; R 9 is a group of the formula —Y—Z, where Z is hydrogen, halogen, OR 11 , NR 12 R 13 , S(O) m —R 14 , phenyl which may carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents R 15 or a 5- or 6-membered saturated, partly unsaturated or aromatic heterocyclic ring; and Y is linear or branched C 1 C 4 -alkylene which may be partly or fully halogenated and/or may be substituted by a hydroxyl group and/or a phenyl ring; or, in case Z is phenyl or the 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring as defined above, Y can also be a single bond. |