C-5 Substituted heteroaryl 3-pyridinecarbonitriles as PKCtheta inhibitors: Part I.

We earlier reported that 3-pyridinecarbonitriiles with a 4-methylindolyl-5-amino group at C-4 and a phenyl group at C-5 were inhibitors of PKCtheta. Keeping the group at C-4 of the pyridine core constant, we varied the water solubilizing group on the phenyl ring at C-5 and then replaced the C-5 phenyl ring with several monocyclic heteroaryl rings, including furan, thiophene and pyridine. Analog 6e with a 4-methylindol-5-ylamino group at C-4 and a 5-[(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl]-2-furyl group C-5 had an IC50 value of 4.5 nM for the inhibition of PKCtheta.