Monocyclic pyrimidine and pyridine compounds having a benzyl amine substituent at the 4 position and a 5:6 bicyclic heteroaryl substituent at the 2 position of the pyrimidine or pyridine ring as well as optional aliphatic, functional and/or aromatic components substituted at other positions of the ring are disclosed. These compounds are inhibitors of the AAA proteasome complex containing p97 and are effective medicinal agents for treatment of diseases associated with p97 bioactivity such as cancer.
