A compound for use in a method for the treatment and prevention of herpesvirus diseases by inhibiting a herpesvirus nucleic acid metabolism enzyme, wherein the said herpesvirus metabolism enzyme is a viral enzyme of the nucleotidyl transferase superfamily, comprising contacting said enzyme with a compound having the formula: or a compound of the formula: wherein: R 4 is alkyl C≤12 , aryl C≤12 , aralkyl C≤12 , heteroaryl C≤12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; R 5 and R 8 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; R 6 is hydrogen, hydroxy, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; and R 7 is arylc≤ 12 , aralkylc≤ 12 , heteroarylc≤ 12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; or a compound of the formula: wherein: R 9 is alkyl C≤12 , arylc≤ 12 , aralkylc≤ 12 , heteroarylc≤ 12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; R 10 is hydrogen, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; and R 11 is Y 1 -O-X 1 -OR 12 ; wherein: Y 1 is alkanediyl C≤8 or substituted alkanediyl C≤8 ; X 1 is arenediyl C≤12 , heteroarenediyl C≤12 , or a substituted version of either of these groups; R 12 is aryl C≤12 , aralkyl C≤12 , heteroaryl C≤12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; wherein the term "substituted" when used with any chemical group refers to a group wherein one or more hydrogen atom has been independently replaced by -OH, -F, -Cl, -Br, -I, -NH 2 , -NO 2 , -CO 2 H, -CO 2 CH 3 , -CN, -SH, -OCH 3 , -OCH 2 CH 3 , -C(O)CH 3 , -NHCH 3 , -NHCH 2 CH 3 , -N(CH 3 ) 2 , -C(O)NH 2 , -C(O)NHCH 3 , -C(O)N(CH 3 ) 2 , -OC(O)CH 3 , -NHC(O)CH 3 , -S(O) 2 OH, or -S(O) 2 NH 2 ; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or tautomer thereof. R 4 is alkyl C≤12 , aryl C≤12 , aralkyl C≤12 , heteroaryl C≤12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; R 5 and R 8 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; R 6 is hydrogen, hydroxy, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; and R 7 is arylc≤ 12 , aralkylc≤ 12 , heteroarylc≤ 12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; or R 9 is alkyl C≤12 , arylc≤ 12 , aralkylc≤ 12 , heteroarylc≤ 12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; R 10 is hydrogen, alkyl C≤8 , or substituted alkyl C≤8 ; and R 11 is Y 1 -O-X 1 -OR 12 ; wherein: Y 1 is alkanediyl C≤8 or substituted alkanediyl C≤8 ; X 1 is arenediyl C≤12 , heteroarenediyl C≤12 , or a substituted version of either of these groups; R 12 is aryl C≤12 , aralkyl C≤12 , heteroaryl C≤12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; Y 1 is alkanediyl C≤8 or substituted alkanediyl C≤8 ; X 1 is arenediyl C≤12 , heteroarenediyl C≤12 , or a substituted version of either of these groups; R 12 is aryl C≤12 , aralkyl C≤12 , heteroaryl C≤12 , or a substituted version of any of these groups; wherein the term "substituted" when used with any chemical group refers to a group wherein one or more hydrogen atom has been independently replaced by -OH, -F, -Cl, -Br, -I, -NH 2 , -NO 2 , -CO 2 H, -CO 2 CH 3 , -CN, -SH, -OCH 3 , -OCH 2 CH 3 , -C(O)CH 3 , -NHCH 3 , -NHCH 2 CH 3 , -N(CH 3 ) 2 , -C(O)NH 2 , -C(O)NHCH 3 , -C(O)N(CH 3 ) 2 , -OC(O)CH 3 , -NHC(O)CH 3 , -S(O) 2 OH, or -S(O) 2 NH 2 ; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or tautomer thereof. <EOS>