Patent ID: 6995154

Claim:
A therapeutic method comprising inhibiting cancer cells by administering to a mammal in need of such therapy, an amount of a compound of formula I: wherein: R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen, (C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxy, nitro, hydroxyl, halo(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, trifluoromethoxy, halo, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkanoyl, hydroxy(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkylthio, (C 2 –C 6 )alkanoyloxy, aryl or heteroaryl; or R 1 and R 2 taken together are methylenedioxy; or R 1 and R 2 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached are benzo; wherein any aryl, heteroaryl, or benzo may optionally be substituted by 1, 2, or 3 substituents independently selected from the group consisting of (C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxy, nitro, hydroxyl, halo(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, trifluoromethoxy, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkanoyl, hydroxy(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkylthio, (C 2 –C 6 )alkanoyloxy, and halo; R 3 is hydrogen, (C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxy, nitro, hydroxyl, halo(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, trifluoromethoxy, (C 3 –C 6 )cycloalkyl(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkanoyl, hydroxy(C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 –C 6 )alkylthio, (C 2 –C 6 )alkanoyloxy, or halo; and R 4 and R 5 taken together are a 3, 4, or 5 membered saturated or unsaturated chain comprising members selected from the group consisting of non-peroxide oxygen, sulfur, N(X), and carbon, optionally substituted by oxo; wherein each X is independently absent or is H, O, (C 1 –C 6 )alkyl, phenyl or benzyl; and wherein at least one of said chain members is an N—H group; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; provided R 4 and R 5 taken together are not —N(H)—C(H)═N—; and provided R 4 and R 5 taken together are not —N(H)—C(H)═N— substituted by oxo; effective to inhibit said cancer cells.