A compound of the formula wherein: is a single bond and X is N; and wherein: R is H; each R / is independently selected from H and QR 1 each Q is independently selected from a bond, CO, CO 2, NH, S, SO, SO 2 or O; each R 1 is independently selected from H, C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 10 cycloalkyl, halogen, C 1 -C 10 alkylaryl, C 1 -C 10 alkyl heteroaryl, C 1 -C 10 heterocycloalkyl or trifluoromethyl; L is a 5-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaryl which is optionally fused to a benzene, with the proviso that L is not pyrrole or benzofused pyrrole; Y is a pyridyl; W is the zinc-binding group -CONHOH of structure: each aryl or heteroaryl may be substituted by up to five substituents selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, hydroxy, C 1 -C 3 hydroxyalkyl, C 1 -C 3 alkoxy, C 1 -C 3 haloalkoxy, amino, C 1 -C 3 mono alkylamino, C 1 -C 3 bis alkylamino, C 1 -C 3 acylamino, C 1 -C 3 aminoalkyl, mono (C 1 -C 3 alkyl) amino C 1 -C 3 alkyl, bis(C 1 -C 3 alkyl) amino C 1 -C 3 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -acylamino, C 1 -C 3 alkyl sulfonylamino, halo, nitro, cyano, trifluoromethyl, carboxy, C 1 -C 3 alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, mono C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminocarbonyl, bis C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminocarbonyl, -SO 3 H, C 1 -C 3 alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, mono C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminosulfonyl and bis C 1 -C 3 -alkyl aminosulfonyl; each alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl may be optionally substituted with aryl, C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, halogen, NH 2, NO 2 or hydroxyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; wherein in at least one, preferably both, of L and Y, the atom that is directly bonded to X is a carbon, and at least one nitrogen atom is directly bonded to said carbon; wherein in addition to a N atom, L contains at least one other heteroatom in the heteroaryl ring which is selected from N, O or S; and wherein n is 5 to 7. R is H; each R / is independently selected from H and QR 1 each Q is independently selected from a bond, CO, CO 2, NH, S, SO, SO 2 or O; each R 1 is independently selected from H, C 1 -C 10 alkyl, C 2 -C 10 alkenyl, C 2 -C 10 alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, C 1 -C 10 cycloalkyl, halogen, C 1 -C 10 alkylaryl, C 1 -C 10 alkyl heteroaryl, C 1 -C 10 heterocycloalkyl or trifluoromethyl; L is a 5-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaryl which is optionally fused to a benzene, with the proviso that L is not pyrrole or benzofused pyrrole; Y is a pyridyl; W is the zinc-binding group -CONHOH of structure: each aryl or heteroaryl may be substituted by up to five substituents selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, hydroxy, C 1 -C 3 hydroxyalkyl, C 1 -C 3 alkoxy, C 1 -C 3 haloalkoxy, amino, C 1 -C 3 mono alkylamino, C 1 -C 3 bis alkylamino, C 1 -C 3 acylamino, C 1 -C 3 aminoalkyl, mono (C 1 -C 3 alkyl) amino C 1 -C 3 alkyl, bis(C 1 -C 3 alkyl) amino C 1 -C 3 alkyl, C 1 -C 3 -acylamino, C 1 -C 3 alkyl sulfonylamino, halo, nitro, cyano, trifluoromethyl, carboxy, C 1 -C 3 alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, mono C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminocarbonyl, bis C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminocarbonyl, -SO 3 H, C 1 -C 3 alkylsulfonyl, aminosulfonyl, mono C 1 -C 3 alkyl aminosulfonyl and bis C 1 -C 3 -alkyl aminosulfonyl; each alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl may be optionally substituted with aryl, C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl, heteroaryl, halogen, NH 2, NO 2 or hydroxyl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; wherein in at least one, preferably both, of L and Y, the atom that is directly bonded to X is a carbon, and at least one nitrogen atom is directly bonded to said carbon; wherein in addition to a N atom, L contains at least one other heteroatom in the heteroaryl ring which is selected from N, O or S; and wherein n is 5 to 7.