Z is O or N(R⁸);

R¹ and R² are each independently

(1) H,

(2) C_1-6 alkyl,

(3) C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(4) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO₂, —N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)R^A, —CO₂R^A, —SR^A, —S(O)R^A, —SO₂R^A, —SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)R^B, —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —OC(O)N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)N(R^C)R^D, or —N(R^A)C(O)C(O)N(R^C)R^D,

(5) CycA,

(6) AryA,

(7) HetA, or

(8) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycA, AryA, or HetA;

R³, R⁴, R⁵ and R⁶ are defined as follows:

(A) R³, R⁴, R⁵ and R⁶ are each independently:

(1) H,

(2) C_1-6 alkyl,

(3) C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(4) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO₂, —N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)R^A, —CO₂R^A, —SR^A, —S(O)R^A, —SO₂R^A, —SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)R^B, —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —OC(O)N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)N(R^C)R^D, or —N(R^A)C(O)C(O)N(R^C)R^D,

(5) C(O)N(R^C)R^D,

(6) CycA,

(7) AryA,

(8) HetA, or

(9) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycA, AryA, or HetA; or

(B) R⁴ and R⁵ are each independently defined as in Part (A) above; and R³ and R⁶ together form a direct bond resulting in a carbon-carbon double bond; or

(C) R⁴ and R⁵ together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached form a 5- to 7-membered saturated or unsaturated ring optionally containing 1 or 2 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S, wherein the ring is optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, oxo, —CN, —NO₂, or —N(R^A)R^B; and R³ and R⁶ are either both absent or are each independently defined as in Part (A) above;

R⁷ is:

(1) OH,

(2) O—C_1-6 alkyl,

(3) O-CycA,

(4) O—C_1-6 alkylene-CycA,

(5) O—C_1-6 alkylene-AryA,

(6) O—C_1-6 alkylene-HetA, or

(7) N(R^U)R^V;

R⁸ is:

(1) H,

(2) C_1-6 alkyl,

(3) C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(4) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO₂, —N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)R^A, —CO₂R^A, —SR^A, —S(O)R^A, —SO₂R^A, —SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)R^B, —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —OC(O)N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)N(R^C)R^D, or —N(R^A)C(O)C(O)N(R^C)R^D,

(5) CycA, or

(6) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycA, AryA, or HetA;

n is an integer equal to zero or 1;

each R^A is independently —H or —C_1-6 alkyl;

each R^B is independently —H or —C_1-6 alkyl;

R^C and R^D are each independently —H or —C_1-6 alkyl; or R^C and R^D together with the N atom to which they are both attached form a 3- to 8-membered saturated ring containing (i) the N atom to which they are both attached, (ii) at least two carbon atoms, and (iii) optionally 1 or 2 additional heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S; wherein the ring is optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, oxo, —CN, —NO₂, or —N(R^A)R^B;

R^U and R^V are each independently:

(i) H,

(ii) C_1-6 alkyl,

(iii) C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(iv) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO₂, —N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)N(R^C)R^D, —C(O)R^A, —CO₂R^A, —SR^A, —S(O)R^A, —SO₂R^A, —SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)R^B, —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^C)R^D, —OC(O)N(R^C)R^D, —N(R^A)C(O)N(R^C)R^D, or —N(R^A)C(O)C(O)N(R^C)R^D,

(v) CycA,

(vi) HetC, or

(vii) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycA, AryA, HetA, or HetC, with the proviso that the atom in HetC attached to the alkyl group is not a N atom; or

R^U and R^V together with the N atom to which they are both attached form a 3- to 8-membered saturated ring containing (i) the N atom to which they are both attached, (ii) at least two carbon atoms, and (iii) optionally containing 1 or 2 additional heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S; wherein the saturated ring is optionally fused with a benzene ring and the optionally fused, saturated ring is:

(i) optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, oxo, —CN, —NO₂, or —N(R^A)R^B, and

(ii) optionally substituted with 1 or 2 substituents each of which is independently CycA, AryA, HetA, HetC, or C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycA, AryA, HetA or HetC;

each CycA is independently a C_3-8 cycloalkyl which is:

(i) optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, or —C_1-6 haloalkyl, and

(ii) optionally substituted with 1 or 2 substituents each of which is independently:

(1) AryB,

(2) HetB,

(3) CycB, or

(4) C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycB, AryB, or HetB;

each AryA is independently an aryl which is:

(i) optionally substituted with from 1 to 5 substituents each of which is independently:

(1) —C_1-6 alkyl, which is optionally substituted with —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, —CN, —NO₂, —N(R^A)R^B, —C(O)N(R^A)R^B, —C(O)R^A, —CO₂R^A, —SR^A, —S(O)R^A, —SO₂R^A, —SO₂N(R^A)R^B, —N(R^A)C(O)R^B, —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂R^B, —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^A)R^B, —OC(O)N(R^A)R^B, —N(R^A)C(O)N(R^A)R^B, or —N(R^A)C(O)C(O)N(R^A)R^B,

(2) —O—C_1-6 alkyl,

(3) —C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(4) —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl,

(5) —OH,

(6) halogen,

(7) —CN,

(8) —NO₂,

(9) —N(R^A)R^B,

(10) —C(O)N(R^A)R^B,

(11) —C(O)R^A,

(12) —CO₂R^A,

(13) —SR^A,

(14) —S(═O)R^A,

(15) —SO₂R^A,

(16) —SO₂N(R^A)R^B,

(17) —N(R^A)SO₂R^B,

(18) —N(R^A)SO₂N(R^A)R^B,

(19) —N(R^A)C(O)R^B,

(20) —N(R^A)C(O)—C(O)N(R^A)R^B, or

(21) —N(R^A)CO₂R^B, and

(ii) optionally substituted with 1 or 2 substituents each of which is independently:

(1) AryB,

(2) HetB,

(3) CycB,

(4) —C_1-6 alkyl substituted with CycB, AryB or HetB,

(5) —C(O)N(R^A)-CycB or

(6) —C(O)O-CycB;

each HetA is independently a heteroaryl which is:

(i) optionally substituted with from 1 to 5 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —C_1-6 haloalkyl, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, oxo, or —OH; and

(ii) optionally substituted with 1 or 2 substituents each of which is independently AryB, HetB, CycB, or —C_1-6 alkyl substituted with AryB, HetB or CycB;

each AryB is independently phenyl or naphthyl, wherein the phenyl or naphthyl is optionally substituted with from 1 to 5 substituents each of which is independently any one of the substituents (1) to (21) as defined above in part (i) of the definition of AryA;

each HetB is independently a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S, wherein the heteroaromatic ring is optionally substituted with from 1 to 4 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —C_1-6 haloalkyl, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, or hydroxy;

each CycB is independently a C_3-8 cycloalkyl which is optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —OH, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, or —C_1-6 haloalkyl;

HetC is a 4- to 7-membered saturated heterocyclic ring containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S, wherein the heterocyclic ring is optionally substituted with from 1 to 6 substituents each of which is independently halogen, —C_1-6 alkyl, —C_1-6 haloalkyl, —O—C_1-6 alkyl, —O—C_1-6 haloalkyl, or oxo;

each aryl is independently (i) phenyl or (ii) a 9- or 10-membered bicyclic, fused carbocylic ring system in which at least one ring is aromatic; and

each heteroaryl is independently (i) a 5- or 6-membered heteroaromatic ring containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S, wherein each N is optionally in the form of an oxide, or (ii) a 9- or 10-membered bicyclic, fused ring system containing from 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from N, O and S, wherein either one or both of the rings contain one or more of the heteroatoms, at least one ring is aromatic, each N is optionally in the form of an oxide, and each S in a ring which is not aromatic is optionally S(O) or S(O)₂.