A compound having the formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: X is selected from Y is 4 substituents, each independently selected from H, (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, halogen, and OH, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen or OH; A is a 5-membered heteroaryl ring which is substituted with 1 to 3 R groups each independently selected from OH, oxo, NR 7 R 8, CN, (C 1 -C 12)alkoxy, halogen, amino(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, hydroxy(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl having 5-14 membered ring atoms and containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S, and heterocyclyl having 3-10 membered ring atoms containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S, wherein said (C 1 -C 12)alkoxy, amino(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, hydroxy(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl having 5-14 membered ring atoms and containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S and heterocyclyl having 3-10 membered ring atoms containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S are optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, oxo, CF 3, OCF 3, CN, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, O(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, S(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, C=O(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, (C=O)NR 7 R 8, (C=O)OR 7, (C 2 -C 4)alkynyl, (C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, O(C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, C=O(C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and heterocyclyl, wherein said alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and heterocyclyl are optionally independently substituted with one or more halogen, CF 3, OH and oxo; R 1 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 2 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 3 is H, halogen or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen; R 4 is H, halogen or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen; or, R 3 and R 4 optionally can come to together to form a cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl ring wherein said ring may be optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from OH, halogen, or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 5 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 6 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 7 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 8 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl;and R a is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl. X is selected from Y is 4 substituents, each independently selected from H, (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, halogen, and OH, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen or OH; A is a 5-membered heteroaryl ring which is substituted with 1 to 3 R groups each independently selected from OH, oxo, NR 7 R 8, CN, (C 1 -C 12)alkoxy, halogen, amino(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, hydroxy(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl having 5-14 membered ring atoms and containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S, and heterocyclyl having 3-10 membered ring atoms containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S, wherein said (C 1 -C 12)alkoxy, amino(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, hydroxy(C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 1 -C 12)alkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl having 5-14 membered ring atoms and containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S and heterocyclyl having 3-10 membered ring atoms containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S are optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, oxo, CF 3, OCF 3, CN, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, O(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, S(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, C=O(C 1 -C 4)alkyl, (C=O)NR 7 R 8, (C=O)OR 7, (C 2 -C 4)alkynyl, (C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, O(C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, C=O(C 3 -C 6)cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and heterocyclyl, wherein said alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and heterocyclyl are optionally independently substituted with one or more halogen, CF 3, OH and oxo; R 1 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 2 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 3 is H, halogen or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen; R 4 is H, halogen or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl, wherein said alkyl is optionally substituted with one or more halogen; or, R 3 and R 4 optionally can come to together to form a cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl ring wherein said ring may be optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from OH, halogen, or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 5 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 6 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 7 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl; R 8 is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl;and R a is H or (C 1 -C 4)alkyl.