The present invention is concerned with aryl-cyclohexyl-tetraazabenzo[e]azulenes of formula I
wherein R
1
, R
2
and R
3
are as described herein. The invention further provides methods for the manufacture of such compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The compounds according to the invention act as V1a receptor modulators, and in particular as V1a receptor antagonists. The compounds are useful as therapeutics acting peripherally and centrally in the conditions of dysmenorrhea, male or female sexual dysfunction, hypertension, chronic heart failure, inappropriate secretion of vasopressin, liver cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, anxiety, depressive disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, autistic spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and aggressive behavior.
We recently reported the discovery of a potent, selective, and brain-penetrant V1a receptor antagonist, which was not suitable for full development. Nevertheless, this compound was found to improve surrogates of social behavior in adults with autism spectrum disorder in an exploratory proof-of-mechanism study. Here we describe scaffold hopping that gave rise to triazolobenzodiazepines with improved