What is Claimed is:

1.

A compound having the structure wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, aralkyl, cycloheteroalkyl or cycloheteroalkylalkyl; R3 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkenyl, alkylcarbonyl, cycloheteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkylalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl, haloalkyl, polyhaloalkyl, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, amino, alkanoyl, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonylamino, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylaminosulfonyl, alkylamino, dialkylamino, all optionally substituted through available carbon atoms with 1,2,3,4 or 5 groups selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, polyhaloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, polyhaloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkylalkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, cyano, amino, substituted amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, thiol, alkylthio, alkylcarbonyl, acyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, alkynylaminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkenylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfinyl, aminosulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, sulfonamido or sulfonyl; R4 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, arylalkenyl, arylalkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, polycycloalkyl, polycycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, cycloheteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkylalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl, polycycloalkenyl, polycycloalkenylalkyl, polycycloalkynyl, polycycloalkynylalkyl, haloalkyl, polyhaloalkyl, cyano, nitro, hydroxy, amino, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, arylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonylamino, alkoxycarbonyloxy, alkylaminosulfonyl, arylaminosulfonyl, alkylamino, dialkylamino, all optionally substituted through available carbon atoms with 1,2,3,4 or 5 groups selected from hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, polyhaloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, polyhaloalkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, arylcycloalkyl, arylalkenyl, arylalkynyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, arylalkoxy, arylazo, heteroaryloxo, heteroarylalkyl, heteroarylalkenyl, heteroaryloxy, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, nitro, cyano, amino, substituted amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, thiol, alkylthio, arylthio, heteroarylthio, arylthioalkyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, acyl, arylaminocarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, alkynylaminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkenylaminocarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, arylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, alkoxycarbonylamino, arylsulfinyl, arylsulfinylalkyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfinyl, aminosulfonyl, arylsulfonylamino, heteroarylcarbonylamino, heteroarylsulfinyl, heteroarylthio, heteroarylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, sulfonamido or sulfonyl; X is a bond or a linker group selected from (CH2) n, O (CH2) n, S (CH2) n, cycloalkylene, N (R5) (CHZ) n, NHCO, or CH=CH where n = 05 and R5 is hydrogen, alkyi, or alkanoyl; Z is COH or tetrazole of the formula its tautomer; and the group represents a heteroaryl group or cycloheteroalkyl group which may further be optionally substituted with one or two groups, which may be the same or different and are independently selected from alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl, keto, carboxyalkyl, carboxy, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, formyl, alkanoyl, alkoxyalkyl or alkoxycarbonyl, including all stereoisomers thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a prodrug ester thereof; with the provisos that (1) nxo when Z is CO2H and X is O (CH2) n, S (CH2) n or N (R5) (CH2) n); and (2) when then XZ may not be Olower alkyleneCO2H orOlower alkyleneCO2alkyl when R1 and R2 are both aryl or substituted aryl and R3 and R4 are each hydrogen.

2.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein R3 and R4 are the same or different and are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkyl, CF3, cyano, hydroxy, or nitro.

3.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherien includes 1 to 3 heteroatoms.

4.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein is a 5membered heteroaryl group or a 5membered cycloheteroalkyl group.

5.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein is a heteroaryl group.

6.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein where Ra is selected from H, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkenyl, and R9 is selected from H, alkyl, alkenyl, formyl, CO2 (lower alkyl), hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, CO (alkyl), carboxyalkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl.

7.	The compound as defined in Claim 6 wherein.

8.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein R' and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from aryl, cycloalkyl, heteroaryl or hydrogen.

9.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein R' and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from phenyl, cyclohexyl, hydrogen or pyrido.

10.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein R3 and R4 are the same or different and are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl or halogen.

11.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 whereinX Z is.

12.

The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein where Rus ils H, lower alkyl, fluoroalkyl, or alkoxyalkyl, and R9 is H, lower alkyl, fluoroalkyl, alkoxy or hydroxyalkyl; Ri and R2 are the same or different and are independently selected from phenyl or substituted phenyl; R3 and R4 are the same or different are independently selected from H, halo, alkyl or alkoxy; X is OCH2, NHCH2, CH2 or CH2CH2; and Z is CO2H or tetrazole.

13.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 where where R8 is H, lower alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R9 is H, lower alkyl, fluoroalkyl, or alkoxy; RI and R2 are each phenyl; R3 and R4 are each H; X is OCH2, CH2 or NHCH2; and Z is CO2H or tetrazole.

14.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 wherein R3 is H R4 is H.

15.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 which is.

16.	The compound as defined in Claim 1 which is.

17.	A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound as defined in Claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.

18.	A pharmaceutical combination comprising an aP2 inhibitor compound as defined in Claim 1 and an antidiabetic agent other than an aP2 inhibitor, an anti obesity agent, a lipidlowering agent, an anti hypertensive agent, an antiplatelet agent and/or an antiinfective agent.

19.	The pharmaceutical combination as defined in Claim 18 comprising said aP2 inhibitor compound and an antidiabetic agent.

20.

The combination as defined in Claim 19 wherein the antidiabetic agent is 1,2,3 or more of a biguanide, a sulfonyl urea, a glucosidase inhibitor, a PPAR y agonist, a PPAR a/y dual agonist, an SGLT2 inhibitor, a DP4 inhibitor, an insulin sensitizer, a glucagonlike peptide1 (GLP1), insulin and/or a meglitinide.

21.

The combination as defined in Claim 20 wherein the antidiabetic agent is 1,2,3 or more of metformin, glyburide, glimepiride, glipyride, glipizide, chlorpropamide, gliclazide, acarbose, miglitol, pioglitazone, troglitazone, rosiglitazone, insulin, Gl 262570, isaglitazone, JTT501, NN2344, L895645, YM440, R119702, AJ9677, repaglinide, nateglinide, KAD1129, AR H039242, GW409544, KRP297, AC2993, LY315902, and/or NVP DPP728A.

22.	The combination as defined in Claim 19 wherein the compound is present in a weight ratio to the antidiabetic agent within the range from about 0.01 to about 100: 1.

23.	The combination as defined in Claim 18 wherein the antiobesity agent is a beta 3 adrenergic agonist, a lipase inhibitor, a serotonin (and dopamine) reuptake inhibitor, a thyroid receptor beta compound, and/or an anorectic agent.

24.	The combination as defined in Claim 23 wherein the antiobesity agent is orlistat, ATL962, AJ9677, L750355, CP331648, sibutramine, topiramate, axokine, dexamphetamine, phentermine, phenylpropanolamine, and/or mazindol.

25.	The combination as defined in Claim 18 wherein the lipid lowering agent is an MTP inhibitor, an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor, a squalene synthetase inhibitor, a fibric acid derivative, an upregulator of LDL receptor activity, a lipoxygenase inhibitor, or an ACAT inhibitor.

26.	The combination as defined in Claim 25 wherein the lipid lowering agent is pravastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin, nisvastatin, visastatin, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, clofibrate, avasimibe, TS962, MD700, and/or LY295427.

27.	The combination as defined in Claim 25 wherein the aP2 inhibitor is present in a weight ratio to the lipidlowering agent within the range from about 0.01 to about 100: 1.

28.	The combination as defined in Claim 18 wherein the antihypertensive agent is an ACE inhibitor, a vasopeptidase inhibitor, an angiotensinII antagonist, a calciumchannel blocker, an alphablocker, a beta blocker, a potassium channel opener, a centrally acting alpha agonist, and/or a diuretic.

29.

The combination as defined in Claim 28 wherein the antihypertensive agent is omapatrilat, [S (R*, R*)] hexahydro6[(2mercapto1oxo3phenylpropyl) amino]2,[(2mercapto1oxo3phenylpropyl) amino]2, 2 dimethyl7oxolHazepinelacetic acid, lisinopril, enalapril, quinapril, benazepril, fosinopril, ramipril, captopril, enalaprilat, moexipril, trandolapril, perindopril, losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, candesartan, telmisartan, amlodipine, diltiazem, nifedipine, verapamil, felodipine, nisoldipine, isradipine, nicardipine, terazosin, doxazosin, prazosin, nadolol, propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, sotalol, hydrochlorthiazide, torasemide, furosemide, spironolactone, indapamide, clonidine and/or guanfacine.

30.	The combination as defined in Claim 18 wherein the antiplatelet agent is aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, abciximab, tirofiban, eptifibatide, anagrelide and/or dipyridamole.

31.	The combination as defined in Claim 18 wherein the antiinfective is azithromycin, gatifoxacin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or trovafloxacin.

32.

A method for treating insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, or elevated blood levels of free fatty acids or glycerol, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, Syndrome X, diabetic complications, or atherosclerosis which comprises administering to a mammalian species in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition as defined in Claim 17.

33.

A method for treating Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or systemic lupus erythematosis, which comprises administering to a human patient in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in Claim 1.

34.

A method for treating Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, or systemic lupus erythematosis, which comprises administering to a human patient in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound which inhibits aP2.