Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. ##STR00001## wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 0, 1, 2, 4, or 5; q is 0 or 1; t is 0 or 1; R.sup.2 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.3 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: halo, 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; and R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms. Alternatively, when R.sup.1 is hydrogen, the biologically active agent can be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula I.