Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. Formula (I), wherein n is 1 or 2 m is 0 or 1 q is 0 or 1 t is 0 or 1 R5 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms R9 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: halo, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy or cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently monosubstituted by methyl or ethyl or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having -1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and 0 and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon and X is -CH2-, Q is -ORand R1 is methyl or ethyl or X is -CH2CR12R13- or -CH2CH(NHAc)-wherein each of R12 and R13 is independently hydrogen or methyl, Q is OR1 and R1 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms or X is -CH2CH2- and Q is NR10R1 wherein one of R10 and Rn is hydrogen, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms or hydroxy, and the other is hydrogen. Alternatively, when R1 is hydrogen, the biologically active agent can be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula (I).
