Patent ID: 7365079

Claim:
A compound of the formula (I): wherein Az is a group comprising a monocyclic azole or a bicyclic aromatic ring of the same or different fused azoles, which is optionally substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, halo-lower alkoxy, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylsulfonyl, lower alkylsulfonyloxy, —N(R 1 )R 2 and -Q 1 -Ar 1 ; Ar 1 is aryl or heteroaryl, any of which is optionally substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, nitro, oxo, hydroxy, lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, hydroxy-lower alkyl, cyclo-lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkoxy, halo-lower alkoxy, lower alkylthio, lower alkylsulfonyl, carboxyl, lower alkanoyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkanoylamino and -Q 2 -Ar 2 ; Ar 2 is aryl or heteroaryl, any of which is optionally substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, hydroxy-lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, halo-lower alkoxy, lower alkylamino, di-lower alkylamino, lower alkanoyl and aryl; Q 1 and Q 2 are independently a single bond, oxygen atom, carbonyl or —N(R 3 )—; R 1 and R 2 are independently hydrogen atom or lower alkyl, or R 1 and R 2 , taken together, form lower alkylene which may be interrupted by oxygen atom, sulfur atom or imino; R 3 is hydrogen atom or lower alkyl; T, V and W are independently methine, U is nitrogen atom, said methine being optionally substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy and halo-lower alkoxy; and X is methine, or a salt or ester thereof.