Abstract: The present invention provides histone deacetylase inhibitors of general formula (I), a process for the preparation of such compounds and uses of the compounds in medicine, especially in the treatment of cancers and the inhibition of histone deacetylase activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides histone deacetylase inhibitors of general formula (I), a process for the preparation of such compounds and uses of the compounds in medicine, especially in the treatment of cancers: in which R1 is an optionally substituted aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycloalkenyl, cycloalkene ring, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl or a combination of such rings to form a linked or fused ring system, R2 and R3 is each independently hydrogen, optionally substituted saturated or unsaturated alkyl, optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl, or a combination thereof to form a linked or fused ring system, alkoxy, thioalkoxy, hydroxyl, hydroxyalkyl, halo, haloalkyl, cyano, nitro, amino, amido, alkylamino, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylthiocarbonyl, alkylsulfonylamino, aminosulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, or alkylsulfonyl, or R3 is absent when Y stands for O or S, or R2 and R3 may be linked together and such that, together with the intervening atoms, they form a 5, 6 or 7-membered ri