G is an aryl, substituted aryl, heterocyclo group, or substituted heterocyclo group, where said group is mono- or polycyclic;

A₁ is CR⁷;

A₂ is CR⁷;

Y is (CR⁷R^7′)_n and n=1 or 2;

Q is H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloal kenyl, heterocycloalkyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, aryl or substituted aryl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, halo, CN, —(C═O)OR¹, —C(═O)R⁴, —C(═O)NR⁵R⁶, —C(R⁷R^7′)—OH, nitro, —(CH₂)—OR¹, —OR¹, —C(═O)SR¹, —SO₂R¹, —NH₂, or NR⁴R⁵;

L is a bond, (CR⁷R^7′)_n, NH, NR⁵ or N(CR⁷R^7′)_n, where n=0-2;

R¹ and R¹ are each independently H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloalkyalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, and/or arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, provided, however, that R¹ and R^1′ are not hydrogen when attached to —SO₂O— or SO₂—;

R² is alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloal kylalkyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, or arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl;

R⁴ is H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloal kylalkyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, —C(═O)R¹, —C(═O)OR¹, —C(═O)NHR¹, —SO₂OR¹, —SO₂R¹ or —SO₂NR¹R¹;

R⁵ is alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloal kylalkyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, —C(═O)R¹, —C(═O)NHR¹, —SO₂OR¹, —SO₂R¹ or —SO₂NR¹ R¹;

R⁶ is alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloal kylalkyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, CN, —OR¹, —C(═O)R¹, —C(═O)NHR¹, —SO₂R¹, —SO₂OR1 or —SO₂NR¹ R¹′;

R⁷ and R⁷′ are each independently at each occurrence H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylal kyl or substituted cycloalkylal kyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, halo, CN, OR¹, nitro, hydroxylamine, hydroxylamide, NHR⁴, —NR²R⁵, —NHOR¹, thiol, alkylthio or substituted alkylthio, —C(═O)R¹, —OC(═O)R¹, —C(═O)OR¹, —PO₃R¹ R¹′, —C(═O)NR¹ R¹′, —C(═O)SR¹, —C(═O)NHSO₂R¹, —SOR¹, —SO₂R¹, —SO₂OR¹ and/or —SO₂NR¹ R¹′;

or two groups R⁷ and R⁷′ attached to the same carbon atom may be joined to form a spiro ring, or groups R⁷ and R⁷′ attached to two adjacent carbon atoms may be joined to form a fused, optionally-substituted monocyclic or bicyclic heterocyclic or carbocyclic ring;

R⁸ is H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted alkynyl, cycloalkyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloalkylalkyl or substituted cycloal kylalkyl, cycloalkenylal kyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, halo, CN, OR¹, nitro, NHR⁴, —NR²R⁵, —NHOR¹, alkylthio or substituted alkylthio, —C(═O)R¹, —OC(═O)R¹, —C(═O)OR¹, —PO₃R¹R¹′, —C(═O)NR¹R¹′, —C(═O)SR¹, —C(═O)NHSO₂R¹, —SOR¹, —SO₂R¹, —SO₂OR¹, or —SO₂NR¹ R ¹′;

R⁹ is selected from H, alkyl or substituted alkyl, alkenyl or substituted alkenyl, alkynyl or substituted al kynyl, cycloal kyl or substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or substituted cycloalkenyl, heterocyclo or substituted heterocyclo, cycloal kylalkyl or substituted cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkenylalkyl or substituted cycloalkenylalkyl, heterocycloal kyl or substituted heterocycloalkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, arylalkyl or substituted arylalkyl, CN, OR¹, —C(═O)R¹, —C(═O)OR¹, —C(═O)NR¹R¹′, SO₂R¹, —SO₂OR¹ and —SO₂NR¹R¹′;

wherein substituted alkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkylalkyl, substituted al kenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloal kenylalkyl, substituted alkynyl, substituted arylalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, and substituted alkylthio are substituted with one or more substituents selected from alkyl, halo, alkoxy, alkylthio, hydroxy, —C(═O)OH, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, —NH₂, carbamoyl, carbamate, urea, amidinyl, thiol, aryl, heterocycle, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, -S-aryl, -S-heterocycle, —S(═O)-aryl, —S(═O)-heterocycle, —S(═O)₂-aryl, —S(═O)₂-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂-aryl, —NHS(═O)₂-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂NH-aryl, —NHS(═O)₂NH-heterocycle, -O-aryl, -O-heterocycle, —NH-aryl, —NH-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)-aryl, —NHC(═O)-heterocycle, —OC(═O)-aryl, —OC(═O)-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)NH-aryl, —NHC(═O)NH-heterocycle, —OC(═O)O-aryl, —OC(═O)O-heterocycle, —OC(═O)NH-aryl, —OC(═O)NH-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)O-aryl, —NHC(═O)O-heterocycle, —C(═O)NH-aryl, —C(═O)NH-heterocycle, —C(═O)O-aryl, —C(═O)O-heterocycle, —N (alkyl)S(═O)₂-aryl, -N(alkyl)S(═O)₂-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂NH-aryl, N(alkyl)S(═O)₂NH-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)-aryl, —N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)NH-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)NH-heterocycle, —OC(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —OC(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)O-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)O-heterocycle, —C(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —C(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂N(alkyl)-aryl, NHS(═O)₂N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —-NHC(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂N(alkyl)-aryl, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, and —N(alkyl)C(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle;

wherein substituted aryl and substituted heterocyclo are substituted with one or more substituents selected from alkyl, halo, —CF₃, cyano, nitro, alkoxy, alkylthio, hydroxy, —C(═O)OH, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, —NH₂, carbamoyl, carbamate, urea, amidinyl, thiol, aryl, heterocycle, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, —S-aryl, —S-heterocycle, —S(═O)-aryl, —S(═O)-heterocycle, —S(═O)₂-aryl, —S(═O)₂-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂-aryl, —NHS(═O)₂-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂NH-aryl, —NHS(═O)₂NH-heterocycle, —O-aryl, —O-heterocycle, —NH-aryl, —NH-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)-aryl, —NHC(═O)-heterocycle, —OC(═O)-aryl, —OC(═O)-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)NH-aryl, —NHC(═O)NH-heterocycle, —OC(═O)O-aryl, —OC(═O)O-heterocycle, —OC(═O)NH-aryl, —OC(═O)NH-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)O-aryl, —NHC(═O)O-heterocycle, —C(═O)NH-aryl, —C(═O)NH-heterocycle, —C(═O)O-aryl, —C(═O)O-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂-aryl, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂NH-aryl, N(alkyl)S(═O)₂NH-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)-aryl, —N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)NH-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)NH-heterocycle, —OC(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —OC(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)O-aryl, —N(alkyl)C(═O)O-heterocycle, —C(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —C(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —NHS(═O)₂N(alkyl)-aryl, NHS(═O)₂N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —NHC(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, —NHC(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂N(alkyl)-aryl, —N(alkyl)S(═O)₂N(alkyl)-heterocycle, —N(alkyl)C(═O)N(alkyl)-aryl, and —N(alkyl)C(═O)N(alkyl)-heterocycle:

(a) when A₁ and A₂ are both OH, Q is H, CH₃, or —CO₂CH₃, and R⁷, R⁷′, and R⁸ are at each occurrence hydrogen, then G-L considered together are not unsubstituted phenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, or benzyl;

(b) when A₁ and A₂ are both CH, Q is H, and R₇ and R₇′ of the group Y are taken together to form phenyl, then G-L is not 4-chiorophenyl or benzyl; and

(c) when Q is H, Y is —CH₂—CH₂—, R⁷, R⁷′, and R⁸ are at each occurrence hydrogen, then G-L- is not 4-chiorophenyl when (i) A₁ and A₂ are both C—CH₃; and (ii) when A1 is C-isopropyl and A₂ is C—CH₃.