| abstract |
A compound of formula (I) or a salt, ester, amide or prodrug thereof; where X is O, or S, S(O), S(O)2 or NR6 where R6 is hydrogen of C¿1-6?alkyl; R?5¿ is an optionally substituted 6-membered aromatic ring containing at least one nitrogen atom, and R?1, R2, R3, R4¿ are independently selected from halogeno, cyano, nitro, C¿1-3?alkylsulphanyl, -N(OH)R?7¿-(wherein R7 is hydrogen, or C¿1-3?alkyl), or R?9X1¿-(wherein X1represents a direct bond, -O-, -CH¿2?-, -OC(O), -C(O)-, -S-, -SO-, -SO2-, -NR?10¿C(O)-, -C(O)NR11-, -SO¿2?NR?12-, -NR13SO¿2- or NR14-(wherein R?10, R11, R12, R13 and R14¿ each independently represents hydrogen, C¿1-3?alkyl or C1-3alkoxyC2-3alkyl), and R?9¿ is hydrogen, optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl or optionally substituted alkoxy; provided that at least one of R2 or R3 is other than hydrogen. These compounds inhibit aurora 2 kinase and are useful in the preparation of medicaments for the treatment of proliferative disease such as cancer. |