A compound of formula wherein (i-a) R2 and R4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, CN, NO 2, N 3, N(R') 2, (CH 2) n N(R') 2, OR', (CH 2) n OR', CO 2 R', CONHR', NHCOR", SCOR', or COR", and R3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, N(R') 2, N 3, and OR 3 ', wherein R 3 ' is selected from the group consisting of R', benzyl, succinyl, optionally acylated glucuronyl, saturated 5 to 6 membered heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms independently selected from N and 0, (CH 2) n OH, SO 2 OH, SO 2 R", tosyl, SO 2 N(R') 2, PO(OR') 2, C N(R') 2, C (CH 2) n N(R') 2, and C R"'; or (i-b) R2 and R3 or R3 and R4, together with the ring carbon atoms to which they are attached, form an unsaturated or aromatic 5-membered heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms each independently selected from N and 0, optionally substituted with methyl or oxo; and R4 or R2, respectively, is H or halogen; (ii-a) one of R7 and R8 is OR7', wherein R7' is selected from the group consisting of H or C 1-6 -alkyl and the other is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, benzyl, (CH 2) n CN, N(R') 2, (CH 2) n N(R') 2, C OR', (CH 2) n C OR', C N(R') 2, (CH 2) n C NH 2, OR7', COR', NHCO-C 1-6 -alkyl, -COCH 2 O-P 2; or (ii-b) one of R7 and R8 is H and the other is selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, (CH 2) n CN, OSO 2 OH, OSO 2 R", O-tosyl, OC R"', OC (CH 2) n COOR', OC (CH 2) n N(R') 2, OC CH 2 NHC OR', OPO(OR') 2, N 3, N(R') 2, NH(CH 2) m OR', NH(CH 2) m SR', NH(CH 2) m NR' 2, NHOR', and NHC R'; R' is H or C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, or C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, or when part of any N(R') 2 both R's together with the nitrogen they are attached to may form an 5 to 6 membered aliphatic or aromatic heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms each independently selected from N and 0, R" is C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, or C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, R'" is C1-18-alkyl, C2-18-alkenyl, -(CH 2) n -C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl, and n is 0, 1 or 2; m is 1, 2 or 3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. (i-a) R2 and R4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, halogen, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, CN, NO 2, N 3, N(R') 2, (CH 2) n N(R') 2, OR', (CH 2) n OR', CO 2 R', CONHR', NHCOR", SCOR', or COR", and R3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, N(R') 2, N 3, and OR 3 ', wherein R 3 ' is selected from the group consisting of R', benzyl, succinyl, optionally acylated glucuronyl, saturated 5 to 6 membered heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms independently selected from N and 0, (CH 2) n OH, SO 2 OH, SO 2 R", tosyl, SO 2 N(R') 2, PO(OR') 2, C N(R') 2, C (CH 2) n N(R') 2, and C R"'; or (i-b) R2 and R3 or R3 and R4, together with the ring carbon atoms to which they are attached, form an unsaturated or aromatic 5-membered heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms each independently selected from N and 0, optionally substituted with methyl or oxo; and R4 or R2, respectively, is H or halogen; (ii-a) one of R7 and R8 is OR7', wherein R7' is selected from the group consisting of H or C 1-6 -alkyl and the other is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, C 2-6 -alkenyl, C 2-6 -alkynyl, benzyl, (CH 2) n CN, N(R') 2, (CH 2) n N(R') 2, C OR', (CH 2) n C OR', C N(R') 2, (CH 2) n C NH 2, OR7', COR', NHCO-C 1-6 -alkyl, -COCH 2 O-P 2; or (ii-b) one of R7 and R8 is H and the other is selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, (CH 2) n CN, OSO 2 OH, OSO 2 R", O-tosyl, OC R"', OC (CH 2) n COOR', OC (CH 2) n N(R') 2, OC CH 2 NHC OR', OPO(OR') 2, N 3, N(R') 2, NH(CH 2) m OR', NH(CH 2) m SR', NH(CH 2) m NR' 2, NHOR', and NHC R'; R' is H or C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, or C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, or when part of any N(R') 2 both R's together with the nitrogen they are attached to may form an 5 to 6 membered aliphatic or aromatic heterocyclic ring comprising 1 or 2 heteroatoms each independently selected from N and 0, R" is C 1-6 -alkyl, C 1-3 -haloalkyl, or C 1-3 -perhaloalkyl, R'" is C1-18-alkyl, C2-18-alkenyl, -(CH 2) n -C 3-6 -cycloalkyl, or optionally substituted phenyl, and n is 0, 1 or 2; m is 1, 2 or 3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.