this invention features pyrimidine compounds of formula : r t is aryl , or heteroaryl ; each of r 2 and r 4 , independently , is halogen , nitro , cyano , isothionitro , sr c , or or c ; or r 2 and r 4 , taken together , is carbonyl ; r 3 is r c , alkenyl , alkynyl , or c , ocr c , so 2 r c , sr c , snr c r d , nr c r d , nr c cor d , nr c cor d , nr c cnr c r d , nr c so 2 r d , cor c , cor c , or cnr c r d ; r 5 is h or alkyl ; n is 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , or 6 ; x is o , s , s , s , or nr c ; y is a covalent bond , ch 2 , c , c ═ n — r c , c ═ n — or c , c ═ n — sr c , o , s , s , s , or nr c ; z is n or ch ; one of u and v is n , and the other is cr c ; and w is o , s , s , s , nr c , or ncr c ; in which each of r a and r b , independently , is h , alkyl , aryl , heteroaryl ; and each of r c and r d , independently , is h , alkyl , aryl , heteroaryl , cyclyl , heterocyclyl , or alkylcarbonyl . the featured compounds inhibit the production of il - 12 , il - 23 and il - 27 and are useful for treating disorders associated with il - 12 , il - 23 and il - 27 overproduction or misregulation , such as inflammatory and immune disorders ,