The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically
acceptable salt thereof, wherein Ar is phenyl, naphthyl, a monocyclic heteroaromatic
group or a bicyclic heteroaromatic group, said Ar group being optionally substituted
by 1-4 substituents, which may be the same or different, and which are selected
from the group consisting of: halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, trifluoromethyl,
trifluoromethoxy, C1-6alkyl, trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy, pentafluoroethyl, C1-6alkoxy,
arylC1-6alkoxy, C1-6alkylthio, C1-6alkoxyC1-6-alkyl, C3-7cycloalkylC1-6alkoxy,
C1-6alkanoyl, C1-6alkoxycarbonyl, C1-6alkylsulfonyl, C1-6alkylsulfinyl, C1-6alkylsulfonyloxy,
C1-6alkylsulfonylC1-6alkyl, arylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyloxy, arylsulfonylC1-6alkyl,
C1-6alkylsulfonamido, C1-6alkylamido, C1-6alkylsulfonamidoC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkylamidoC1-6alkyl,
arylsulfonamido, arylcarboxamido, alkylsulfonamidoC1-6alkyl, arylcarboxamidoC1-6alkyl,
aroyl, arolC1-6alkyl, arylC1-6alkanoyl, a group R<3OCO(CH2)s, R<3CON(R<4)(CH2)s,
R<3R<4NCO(CH2)s or R<3R<4NSO2(CH2) where each of R<3
and R<4 independently represents a hydrogen atom or C1-4alkyl or R<3
and R<4 form part of a C3-6azacyloalkane or C3-6(2-oxo)azacycloalkane ring
and s represents zero or an integer from 1 to 4, and a group Ar<1Z, wherein
Z represents a single bond, O, S or CH2 and Ar<1 represents a phenyl or a
monocyclic heteroaromatic group, said Ar<1 group being optionally substituted
by 1-3 substituents, which may be the same or different, and which are selected
from the group consisting of a halogen, hydroxy, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-6alkyl,
C1-6alkoxy or C1-6alkanoyl; when Ar is a phenyl or a monocyclic heteroaromatic
group, substitutents positioned ortho to one another may be linked to form a 5-
or 6-membered ring; R<1 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, C3-6alkenyl, C3-6alkynyl
or arylC1-6alkyl; R<2 is halogen, C1-6alkyl, cyano, CF3, C1-6alkanoyl, C1-6alkoxy
or hydroxy; X is CH or N; Y is a single bond, O, or CO; p is 0, 1 or 2;
r is 0, 1, 2 or 3; m is 2, 3 or 4; n and q are independently 1 or 2. Processes
for preparing the compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their
use as medicaments for various CNS disorders, including deression and/or anxiety,
are also disclosed.
