A compound of formula (II): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: - R 1 is H; - R 2 is H, aralkyl, or heterocyclyl; - m and n are independently an integer from 0 to 1; - x is an integer from 0 to 4; - y is an integer from 0 to 3; - A is a cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring containing ring moieties Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , and Q 4 , which are taken together with the carbons at positions a and a' to form ring A; - B is a cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring containing ring moieties Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 , which are taken together with the carbons at positions a and a' to form ring B; - Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of C, CH 2 , CH, N, NR 10 , O, and S, provided that either rings A and B together form naphthalene, x is an integer from 1 to 3 or y is an integer 2 or 3 or R 8 is other than Cl, or at least one of Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 is N, NR 10 , O, or S; - each R 8 and R 9 is independently selected from halo, alkylsulfonyl, N- hydroxylsulfonamidyl, perhaloalkyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, perhaloalkoxy, alkyl, substituted aryloxy, alkylsulfanyl, alkylsulfinyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, NH 2 , OH, C(O)OH, C(O)Oalkyl, NHC(O)alkylC(O)OH, C(O)NH 2 , NHC(O)alkylC(O)alkyl, NHC(O)alkenylC(O)OH, NHC(O)NH 2 , OalkylC(O)Oalkyl, NHC(O)alkyl, C(=N-OH)NH 2 , cycloalkoxy, cycloalkylsulfanyl, arylsulfanyl, and arylsulfinyl; - R 10 is H, alkyl, acyl, or sulfonyl; subject to the proviso that the compound of formula (II) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is not one of the following compounds X1, X2, X3 and X4: R 4 R 3 R 1 R 2 m.p (°C) X1 OH H CH 3 CH 3 149-152 X2 OH H H H X3 H CH 3 CH 3 86-89 - R 1 is H; - R 2 is H, aralkyl, or heterocyclyl; - m and n are independently an integer from 0 to 1; - x is an integer from 0 to 4; - y is an integer from 0 to 3; - A is a cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring containing ring moieties Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , and Q 4 , which are taken together with the carbons at positions a and a' to form ring A; - B is a cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aromatic, or heteroaromatic ring containing ring moieties Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 , which are taken together with the carbons at positions a and a' to form ring B; - Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of C, CH 2 , CH, N, NR 10 , O, and S, provided that either rings A and B together form naphthalene, x is an integer from 1 to 3 or y is an integer 2 or 3 or R 8 is other than Cl, or at least one of Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 is N, NR 10 , O, or S; rings A and B together form naphthalene, x is an integer from 1 to 3 or y is an integer 2 or 3 or R 8 is other than Cl, or at least one of Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 , and Q 8 is N, NR 10 , O, or S; - each R 8 and R 9 is independently selected from halo, alkylsulfonyl, N- hydroxylsulfonamidyl, perhaloalkyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, perhaloalkoxy, alkyl, substituted aryloxy, alkylsulfanyl, alkylsulfinyl, heterocycloalkyl, substituted heterocycloalkyl, NH 2 , OH, C(O)OH, C(O)Oalkyl, NHC(O)alkylC(O)OH, C(O)NH 2 , NHC(O)alkylC(O)alkyl, NHC(O)alkenylC(O)OH, NHC(O)NH 2 , OalkylC(O)Oalkyl, NHC(O)alkyl, C(=N-OH)NH 2 , cycloalkoxy, cycloalkylsulfanyl, arylsulfanyl, and arylsulfinyl; - R 10 is H, alkyl, acyl, or sulfonyl; subject to the proviso that the compound of formula (II) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is not one of the following compounds X1, X2, X3 and X4: R 4 R 3 R 1 R 2 m.p (°C) X1 OH H CH 3 CH 3 149-152 X2 OH H H H X3 H CH 3 CH 3 86-89 <EOS>