Phenyl alkanoic acid derivatives as gpr agonists

Disclosed are 2-(3-(phenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetic acid, 2-(3-(phenyl)azetidin-3-yl) acetic acid derivatives and alkyl esters thereof as represented by general formula (I), wherein, R1 is hydrogen or alkyl; R2 and R3 together form a saturated or a partially unsaturated 3- to 9-membered heterocyclyl ring containing one or two heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N and S; or R2 and R3 together form a saturated or a partially unsaturated cycloalkyl ring; R4 at each occurrence is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, aryl, -NH2, cyano, nitro, -C(O)R9 and -S(O)pR6; Rx and Ry are independently selected from the group consisting of A-CH(R7)-X and R5; provided that at least one of Rx and Ry is A-CH(R7)-X; n is an integer from 1 to 3; m is an integer from 0 to 4; and wherein the remaining substituents are as defined herein. Representative compounds include ethyl 2-(3-(4-((4'-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-3-yl)methoxy)phenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetate, 2-(3-(4-([1,1'-biphenyl]-3-ylmethoxy)phenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetic acid, ethyl 2-(3-(4-((2',6'-dimethyl-4'-(3-(methylsulfonyl)propoxy)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)methoxy)-3-fluorophenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetate, ethyl 2-(3-(4-((2',6'-dimethyl-4'-((tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)methoxy)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)methoxy)phenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetate, 2-(3-(4-((4'-((1,3-difluoropropan-2-yl)oxy)-2',6'-dimethyl-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)methoxy)phenyl)oxetan-3-yl)acetic acid, 2-(1-acetyl-3-(4-((2',6'-dimethyl-4'-(3-(methylsulfonyl)propoxy)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)methoxy)phenyl)azetidin-3-yl)acetic acid and ethyl 2-(3-(4-((2',6'-dimethyl-4'-(3-(methylsulfonyl) propoxy)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl)methoxy)phenyl)azetidin-3-yl) acetate. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined above, or an isotopic form or a stereoisomer or a tautomer or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or a pharmaceutically acceptable solvate thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient for the treatment of a disease or a condition mediated by GPR40, such as selected from the group consisting of diabetes, obesity, hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglylceridemia, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, ketoacidosis, thrombotic disorders, nephropathy, diab