Patent ID: 7795271

Claim:
A method of treating neuropathic pain in a subject, the method comprising treating a subject in need thereof with a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein L is —O—; M is —CH 2 —; R 5 is wherein X 1 , X 2 , X a , X b , X c , X d , and X e at are independently selected from —C(O)NR 6 R 7 , —(C 1 -C 4 alkyl)-C(O)NR 6 R 7 , —NR 6 R 7 , hydroxy(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, C 1 -C 4 dihydroxyalkyl, H, halogen, haloalkyl, alkyl, haloalkoxy, heteroaryl, heterocycloalkyl, C 3 -C 7 , cycloalkyl, R 6 R 7 N—(C 1 -C 6 alkyl)-, —CO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl, —N(R)C(O)NR 6 R 7 , —N(R)C(O)—(C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, CO 2 R—(C 1 -C 6 alkyl)-, or —SO 2 NR 6 R 7 ; wherein the heteroaryl and heterocycloalkyl groups are optionally substituted with —NR 6 R 7 , —C(O)NR 6 R 7 , R 6 R 7 N—(C 1 -C 6 alkyl)-, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or halogen; or R 5 is heteroaryl or heteroarylalkyl, wherein the heteroaryl and heteroaryl groups are optionally substituted with 1, 2, 3, or 4 groups that are independently —C(O)NR 6 R 7 , —(C 1 -C 4 alkyl)-C (O)NR 6 R 7 , —NR 6 R 7 , hydroxy(C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, C 1 -C 4 dihydroxyalkyl, H, OH, halogen, haloalkyl, alkyl, haloalkoxy, R 6 R 7 N—(C 1 -C 6 alkyl)-, —CO 2 —(C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, —N(R)C(O)NR 6 R 7 , or —N(R)C(O)—(C 1 -C 6 ) alkoxy; wherein R 6 and R 7 are independently at each occurrence H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxycarbonyl, OH, C 1 -C 6 hydroxyalkyl, C 1 -C 4 dihydroxyalkyl, C 1 -C 6 thiohydroxyalkyl, —C 1 -C 4 )alkyl-CO 2 -alkyl, pyridyl C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkanoyl, benzyl, phenyl C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, or phenyl C 1 -C 6 alkanoyl, wherein each of the above is unsubstituted or substituted with 1, 2, or 3 groups that are independently, halogen, C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, piperidinyl C 1 -C 6 alkyl, morpholinyl C 1 -C 6 alkyl, piperazinyl C 1 -C 6 alkyl, OH, SH, NH 2 , NH(alkyl), N(alkyl)(alkyl), —O—C 1 -C 4 alkanoyl, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, CF 3 , or OCF 3 ; or R 6 , R 7 , and the nitrogen to which they are attached form a morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, piperidinyl, pyrrolidinyl, or piperazinyl ring which is optionally substituted with 1 or 2 groups that are independently C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, hydroxy, hydroxy C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 dihydroxyalkyl, or halogen; R at each occurrence is independently H or C 1 -C 6 alkyl; and Y, Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , and Y 4 are independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl, carboxaldehyde, hydroxyalkyl, dihydroxyalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, CN, alkanoyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, haloalkyl, and carboxyl.