Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as
insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome,
hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis
and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. Formula (I) wherein n is 1 or 2; m is
0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; q is 0 or 1; t is 0 or 1; R.sup.1 is alkyl having from
1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3
carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; one of R.sup.3
and R.sup.4 is hydrogen or hydroxy and the other is hydrogen; or R.sup.3
and R.sup.4 together are .dbd.O; R.sup.5 is hydrogen or alkyl having one,
two, three, four or five carbon atoms; A is phenyl, unsubstituted or
substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: halo, hydroxy, alkyl having 1
or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms,
and perfluoromethoxy; or cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms
wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are
independently mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl; or a 5 or 6 membered
heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and
O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the
compound of formula (I) by a ring carbon. Alternatively, the agent can be
a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula (I).
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