A compound according to formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: W is selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, I, CN, C1-C6 alkoxy, CF3, CF2H, CFH2, CON R2; R1 and R2 represent hydrogen; Ar represents heteroaryl or aryl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from groups of the formula (Ia): wherein: R4 represents hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, or oxo; X-R3 is CH 2; or X-R3 is O; or X is N, and R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, (C3-C7cycloalkyl)C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C2- C6 alkanoyloxy, mono- and di-(C3-C8 cycloalkyl)aminoC0-C4alkyl, (4- to 7- membered heterocycle)C0-C4alkyl, C1-C6 alkylsulfonyl, mono- and di-(C1- C6 alkyl) sulfonamido, and mono- and di-(C1-C6 alkyl)aminocarbonyl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, amino, -COOH or oxo; R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, CN, C1-C4 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy; and R7, R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, C1- C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, and C2- C6 alkanoyloxy. W is selected from the group consisting of: F, Cl, Br, I, CN, C1-C6 alkoxy, CF3, CF2H, CFH2, CON R2; R1 and R2 represent hydrogen; Ar represents heteroaryl or aryl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from groups of the formula (Ia): wherein: R4 represents hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, or oxo; X-R3 is CH 2; or X-R3 is O; or X is N, and R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, (C3-C7cycloalkyl)C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C2- C6 alkanoyloxy, mono- and di-(C3-C8 cycloalkyl)aminoC0-C4alkyl, (4- to 7- membered heterocycle)C0-C4alkyl, C1-C6 alkylsulfonyl, mono- and di-(C1- C6 alkyl) sulfonamido, and mono- and di-(C1-C6 alkyl)aminocarbonyl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, amino, -COOH or oxo; R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, CN, C1-C4 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy; and R7, R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, C1- C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, and C2- C6 alkanoyloxy. Ar represents heteroaryl or aryl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from groups of the formula (Ia): wherein: R4 represents hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, or oxo; X-R3 is CH 2; or X-R3 is O; or X is N, and R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, (C3-C7cycloalkyl)C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C2- C6 alkanoyloxy, mono- and di-(C3-C8 cycloalkyl)aminoC0-C4alkyl, (4- to 7- membered heterocycle)C0-C4alkyl, C1-C6 alkylsulfonyl, mono- and di-(C1- C6 alkyl) sulfonamido, and mono- and di-(C1-C6 alkyl)aminocarbonyl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, amino, -COOH or oxo; R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, CN, C1-C4 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy; and R7, R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, C1- C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, and C2- C6 alkanoyloxy. R4 represents hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, or oxo; X-R3 is CH 2; or X-R3 is O; or X is N, and R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, (C3-C7cycloalkyl)C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, C2- C6 alkanoyloxy, mono- and di-(C3-C8 cycloalkyl)aminoC0-C4alkyl, (4- to 7- membered heterocycle)C0-C4alkyl, C1-C6 alkylsulfonyl, mono- and di-(C1- C6 alkyl) sulfonamido, and mono- and di-(C1-C6 alkyl)aminocarbonyl, each of which is substituted with from 0 to 4 substituents independently chosen from halogen, hydroxy, cyano, amino, -COOH or oxo; R5 and R6 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, F, Cl, Br, CN, C1-C4 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy; and R7, R8 and R9 are independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, C2-C6 alkynyl, C3-C10 aryl or heteroaryl, C1- C6 alkoxy, C1- C6 alkylthio, C2-C6 alkanoyl, C1- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, and C2- C6 alkanoyloxy.