Macrocylic compounds having inhibitory activity on the replication of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) of the general formula (I) X is N, CH and where X bears a double bond it is C； R1a and R1b are hydrogen, C3-7cycloalkyl, aryl, Het, C1-6alkoxy, C1-6alkyl optionally substituted with halo, C1-6alkoxy, cyano, polyhaloC1-6alkoxy, C3-7cycloalkyl, aryl, or with Het； or R1a and R1b together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a 4 to 6 membered heterocyclic ring which may be optionally substituted； Het being a heterocyclic ring； L is a direct bond, &mdash；O&mdash；, &mdash；O&mdash；C1-4alkanediyl-, &mdash；O&mdash；CO&mdash；, &mdash；O&mdash；C(&boxH；O)&mdash；NR5a&mdash； or &mdash；O&mdash；C(&boxH；O)&mdash；NR5a&mdash；C1-4alkanediyl-； n is 3, 4, 5, or 6； p is 1, or 2； R2 is hydrogen, and where X is C or CH, R2 may also be C1-6alkyl； R3 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, C1-6alkoxyC1-6alkyl, C3-7cycloalkyl, amino, mono- or diC1-6alkylamino； R4 is aryl or a saturated, a partially unsaturated or completely unsaturated 5 or 6 membered monocyclic or 9 to 12 membered bicyclic heterocyclic ring system wherein said ring system contains one nitrogen, and optionally one to three additional heteroatoms selected from O, S and N, and wherein the remaining ring members are carbon atoms； wherein said ring system may be optionally substituted； and pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds (I) and processes for preparing compounds (I).
