A compound of formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: R N is H, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocycloalkyl; A is a 3 membered monocyclic ring; B is optionally fused to a 5-7 membered ring selected from the group consisting of cycloaliphatic, aryl, heterocyclic, and heteroaryl; R 1 is halo, alkyl, OH, alkoxy, thioalkyl, trifluoromethoxy; or two R 1 on adjacent atoms, taken together, form wherein J is selected from the group consisting of CH 2 , CF 2 , or C(CH 3 ) 2 ; W is -CO-; R W is independently H, halo, CN, NO 2 , N(R) 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 , OH, OR, C(O)R, CO 2 R, C(O)N(R) 2 , -O(C1-C6)alkylidene-OR, -O(C1-C6)alkylidene-N(R) 2 , or an aliphatic, wherein said aliphatic, is optionally substituted with up to two R 2 ; R 2 is halo, CN, NO 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 , OR, OC(O)R, OC(O)N(R) 2 , SR, S(O)R, SO 2 R, SO 2 N(R) 2 , SO 3 R, C(O)R, CO 2 R, C(O)N(R) 2 , N(R) 2 , NRC(O)R, NRCO 2 R, NRC(O)N(R) 2 , NRSO 2 R, B(OR) 2 , or NRSO 2 N(R) 2 ; R is independently H, or alkyl; W-R w is acyclic; n is 1; w is an integer from 0 to 4 inclusive; x is an integer from 0 to 5 inclusive; wherein the terms "aliphatic" and "alkyl" mean a straight-chain (i.e., unbranched) or branched, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon chain that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, or a monocyclic hydrocarbon or bicyclic hydrocarbon that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, but which is not aromatic (also referred to herein as "carbocycle" "cycloaliphatic" or "cycloalkyl"), that has a single point of attachment to the rest of the molecule; and wherein the terms "cycloaliphatic" or cycloalkyl" mean a monocyclic hydrocarbon or bicyclic hydrocarbon that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, but which is not aromatic. R N is H, alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocycloalkyl; A is a 3 membered monocyclic ring; B is optionally fused to a 5-7 membered ring selected from the group consisting of cycloaliphatic, aryl, heterocyclic, and heteroaryl; R 1 is halo, alkyl, OH, alkoxy, thioalkyl, trifluoromethoxy; or two R 1 on adjacent atoms, taken together, form wherein J is selected from the group consisting of CH 2 , CF 2 , or C(CH 3 ) 2 ; W is -CO-; R W is independently H, halo, CN, NO 2 , N(R) 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 , OH, OR, C(O)R, CO 2 R, C(O)N(R) 2 , -O(C1-C6)alkylidene-OR, -O(C1-C6)alkylidene-N(R) 2 , or an aliphatic, wherein said aliphatic, is optionally substituted with up to two R 2 ; R 2 is halo, CN, NO 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 , OR, OC(O)R, OC(O)N(R) 2 , SR, S(O)R, SO 2 R, SO 2 N(R) 2 , SO 3 R, C(O)R, CO 2 R, C(O)N(R) 2 , N(R) 2 , NRC(O)R, NRCO 2 R, NRC(O)N(R) 2 , NRSO 2 R, B(OR) 2 , or NRSO 2 N(R) 2 ; R is independently H, or alkyl; W-R w is acyclic; n is 1; w is an integer from 0 to 4 inclusive; x is an integer from 0 to 5 inclusive; wherein the terms "aliphatic" and "alkyl" mean a straight-chain (i.e., unbranched) or branched, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon chain that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, or a monocyclic hydrocarbon or bicyclic hydrocarbon that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, but which is not aromatic (also referred to herein as "carbocycle" "cycloaliphatic" or "cycloalkyl"), that has a single point of attachment to the rest of the molecule; and wherein the terms "cycloaliphatic" or cycloalkyl" mean a monocyclic hydrocarbon or bicyclic hydrocarbon that is completely saturated or that contains one or more units of unsaturation, but which is not aromatic. <EOS>