X independently represents S, SO, or SO₂;

Y independently represents S, O, NR², SO, or SO₂;

A independently represents ←CONR⁸—, ←NR⁸CO—, ←NR⁸CONR⁹—, ←NR⁸COO—, ←NR⁸NR⁹CO—, ←NR⁸OCO—, ←ONR⁸CO—, or ←NR⁸SO₂—, where ← indicates the point of attachment to R³;

R² independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —COR⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R′, —CN, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, or alkylamino;

R³ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl;

R⁴ represents H, —COR⁶, —CO₂R⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R⁶, —SO₃R⁶, —NO₂, —CN, —CF₃, —OCH₃, —OCF₃, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, —NH₂, alkylamino, —NR⁷COR⁶, halogen, —OH, —SH, alkylthio, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, aryl or heteroaryl;

R⁵ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —COR⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R⁶, —CN, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, alkylamino, aryl, or heteroaryl;

R⁶ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —NR⁸R⁹, —NR²NR⁸R⁹, —ONR⁸R⁹, —NR⁸OR⁹, aryl or heteroaryl;

R⁷ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, or alkoxy;

R⁸ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —COR⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R⁶, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, aryl or heteroaryl;

R⁹ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —COR⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R⁶, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, aryl or heteroaryl;

R¹ independently represents one of the following groups:

where * indicates the point of attachment

Z independently represents O, NR⁸, or S;

R¹¹ independently represents H, —NHR⁸, or one of the groups:

where * indicates the point of attachment;

R¹² independently represents H, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —NR⁸R⁹, or —X²R¹⁶;

R¹³ independently represents H, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —NR⁸R⁹, or —X²R¹⁶;

R¹⁴ independently represents H, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —NR⁸R⁹, or —X²R¹⁶;

R¹⁵ independently represents H, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —NR⁸R⁹, or —X²R¹⁶;

R¹⁷ independently represents H, halogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, —NR⁸R⁹, or —X²R¹⁶;

X² independently represents a direct bond, —O—, —CH₂—, —OCO—, carbonyl, —S—, —SO—, —SO₂—, —NR⁸CO—, —CONR⁸—, SO₂NR⁸—, —NR⁸SO₂— or —NR⁸—;

R¹⁶ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, —COR⁶, —SOR⁶, —SO₂R⁶, —OCH₃, —OCF₃, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, or one of the following groups:

where * indicates the point of attachment

m independently represents an integer from 1-3;

L is absent or represents a divalent linkage group selected from alkylen, cycloalkylen, heterocyclylen, arylen, or heteroarylen, wherein one or more of the (—CH₂—) groups may be replaced by an oxygen or a NR⁸, and wherein one or more carbon atoms may be independently substituted by one or two substituents selected from halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, haloalkyloxy, phoshonooxy, or phoshonooxyalkyl;

X³ independently represents —COOH, —COOalkyl, —CONR⁸R⁹, —OH, —NR⁸R⁹, —SH, —SO₃H, —SO₂NR⁸R⁹, alkyloxy, haloalkyloxy, or alkylamino;

R¹⁸ independently represents H, phosphonooxy, or phosphonooxy-alkyl;

R¹⁹ independently represents H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkylamino, or alkoxy;

wherein an alkyl group, if not stated otherwise, denotes a linear or branched C₁-C₆-alkyl, preferably a linear or branched chain of one to five carbon atoms, a linear or branched C₂-C₆-alkenyl or a linear or branched C₂-C₆-alkynyl group, which can be substituted by one or more substituents R′;

wherein R′ independently represents H, —CO₂R″, —CONHR″, —CR″O, —SO₂NR″, —NR″—CO-haloalkyl, —NO₂, —NR″—SO₂-haloalkyl, —NR″—SO₂-alkyl, —SO₂-alkyl, —NR″—CO-alkyl, —CN, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aminoalkyl, alkylamino, alkoxy, —OH, —SH, alkylthio, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyalkylamino, halogen, haloalkyl, haloalkyloxy, aryl, arylalkyl or heteroaryl;

wherein R″ independently represents H, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or aminoalkyl;

wherein a cycloalkyl group denotes a non-aromatic ring system containing three to eight carbon atoms, preferably four to eight carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms in the ring can be substituted by a group E, E being O, S, SO, SO₂, N, or NR″, R″ being as defined above;

wherein an alkoxy group denotes an O-alkyl group, the alkyl group being as defined above; the alkoxy group is preferably a methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, t-butoxy or pentoxy group;

wherein an alkylthio group denotes an S-alkyl group, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein a haloalkyl group denotes an alkyl group which is substituted by one to five halogen atoms, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein a hydroxyalkyl group denotes an HO-alkyl group, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein a haloalkyloxy group denotes an alkoxy group which is substituted by one to five halogen atoms, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein a hydroxyalkylamino group denotes an (HO-alkyl)₂-N— group or HO-alkyl-NH— group, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein an alkylamino group denotes an HN-alkyl or N-dialkyl group, the alkyl group being as defined above;

wherein a halogen group is chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine;

wherein an aryl group denotes an aromatic group having five to fifteen carbon atoms, which can be substituted by one or more substituents R′, where R′ is as defined above;

wherein a heteroaryl group denotes a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group which contains at least one heteroatom like O, N, S, wherein the heterocyclic group can be fused to another ring and wherein the heterocyclic group can be substituted by one or more substituents R′, wherein R′ is as defined above;

wherein an alkylene group denotes a divalent linear or branched C₁-C₆-alkylene, preferably a linear or branched chain of one to five carbon atoms, a linear or branched C₂-C₆-alkenylene or a linear or branched C₂-C₆-alkynylene group, which may be substituted by one or more substituents R′;

wherein a cycloalkylene group denotes a divalent non-aromatic ring system containing three to eight carbon atoms, preferably four to eight carbon atoms, wherein one or more of the carbon atoms in the ring may be substituted by a group E, E being O, S, SO, SO₂, N, or NR″, R″ being as defined above;

wherein a heterocyclylene group denotes a 3 to 8-membered divalent heterocyclic non-aromatic group which contains at least one heteroatom selected from O, N, and S, wherein the heterocyclylene group may be fused to another non-aromatic ring and may be substituted by one or more substituents R′, wherein R′ is as defined above;

wherein an arylene group denotes an aromatic divalent group having five to fifteen carbon atoms, which may be substituted by one or more substituents R′, and may be fused to another aromatic ring, where R′ is as defined above;

wherein a heteroarylene group denotes a divalent 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic group which contains at least one heteroatom selected from O, N, and S, wherein the heterocyclylene group may be fused to another aromatic ring and may be substituted by one or more substituents R′, wherein R′ is as defined above;

wherein a phosphonooxy group is —O—P(═O)(OH)₂ or a salt thereof;

wherein a phosphonooxyalkyl group denotes an -alkyl-O—P(═O)(OH)₂ group or a salt thereof, alkyl being as defined above.