AZACYCLIC COMPOUNDS AS INHIBITORS OF SENSORY NEURONE SPECIFIC SODIUM CHANNELS

Compounds of the formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are found to be antagonists of SNS sodium channels. They are therefore useful as analgesic and neuroprotective agents; wherein (1) represents (A), (B) or (C); R1 represents: (a) -L-A or L′-A′ wherein L represents a bond or a C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl or C2-C6 alkynyl moiety, A represents a phenyl, 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl, C3-C6 carbocyclyl or 5- to 10 membered heterocyclyl group, L′ represents a C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl or C2-C6 alkynyl moiety, and A′ represents -Het-A or -X-A wherein Het represents -O-, -S- or NR′, and X represents -CO-, -SO-, SO2-, -CO-O-, CO-S, CONR′, -O-CO-, -S-CO- or NR′-CO-, wherein R′ represents hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl; (b) -L-A-A′ or -L-A-L-A wherein A′ is as defined above, each A is the same or different and is as defined above and each L is the same or different and is as defined above; (c) -A-Z-A wherein Z is -Het-L′, -X-L′, -L′-Het- or L′-X, wherein Het, L′ and X are as defined above and each A is the same or different and is as defined above; (d) -A-Het-Y or -A-X-Y wherein is [L′-Het]n-L′, [L′-Het]n-L′, -[L′-Het]n-A, -L′-B-L′, -L′-B-A or -A-L-A wherein n is from 1 to 4 and B is -X-, -NR′-CO-NR′, -O-CO-NR′- or -NR′-CO-O, and wherein X and L are as defined above, each A is the same or different and is as defined above, each L′ is the same or different and is as defined above, each R′ is the same or different and is as defined above and each Het is the same or different and is as defined above; or (e) -L-CR(A)(A′) or L-CR(A)(L-A) wherein R is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl, A′ is as defined above, each L is the same or different and is as defined above and each A is the same or different and is as defined above; R2 represents -L-A-, L′-A′, -L-A-A′ or L-A-L-A wherein L′ and A′ are as defined above, each L is the same or different and is as defined above and each A is the same or different and is as defined above J represents -NR3-, -O- or a direct bond wherein R3 represent s hydrogen C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl or C2-C6 alkynyl; p is an integer from 1 to 3; q is 1 or 2; and one of E and E′ is -CH2- and the other is a direct bond.