(3R)-3-AMINO-4-CARBOXYBUTYRALDEHYDE DERIVATIVES INHIBITING THE RELEASE OF INTERLEUKIN-1/BETA

The invention relates to new (3R)-3-amino-4-carboxybutyraldehyde derivatives of general formula (I), wherein X represents a C1-4 alkyloxycarbonyl, an optionally substituted phenyl-(C1-2 alkyloxy)-carbonyl, a C1-4 alkylcarbonyl or an optionally substituted phenyl-(C1-3 alkyl)-carbonyl group, n represents 1 or 0, Y represents, in the case when n = 1, a tetrapeptide of general formula Y 4-Y3-Y2-Y1, a tripeptide of general formula Y3-Y2-Y1 or a dipeptide of general formula Y2-Y1 or an amino acid residue of general formula Y1, or in the case when n = 0, an .alpha.-hydroxyacyl-tripeptide of general formula Q4Y3-Y2-Y1, an .alpha.-hydroxyacyl-dipeptide of general formula Q3-Y2-Y1 or an .alpha.-hydroxyacyl-aminoacyl residue of general formula Q2-Y1; wherein Y1-Y4 represent a residue selected from the group of the following L- or D-amino acids: alanine, alloisoleucine, cyclohexyl-glycine, phenyl-alanine, glutamine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, pipecolic acid, proline, tyrosine and valine; and Q2-Q4 represent an acyl group selected form the following .alpha.-hydroxyacids of R or S configuration: 2-cycloheptyl-2-hydroxy-acetic acid, 2-cyclohexyl-2-hydroxyacetic acid, 3-cyclohexyllactic acid, 3-phenyllactic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid, 2-hydroxy-3-methylvaleric acid, mandelic acid or lactic acid, and salts thereof formed with organic or inorganic bases, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same. The compounds of general formula (I) of the invention are valuable inhibitors of the interleukin-1.beta. converting enzyme.