The disclosure provides compounds and pharmaceutical compositions of the compounds useful for treating chronic and acute bacterial infections. Certain of the compounds are compounds and salts of general Formula VIII Certain compounds of this disclosure are MvfR inhibitors. MvfR inhibitors reduce the formation of antibiotic tolerant bacterial strains and are useful for treating Gram-negative bacterial infections and reducing the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods of treating bacterial infections in a patient, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, are also provided by the disclosure.