Several amines, amino acid derivatives and low molecular weight peptides containing an amide-bound oxal hydroxamic acid moiety have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory effects towards native human gelatinase B (MMP-9) and the catalytic domains of the membrane type MT1-MMP (MMP-14) and of neutrophil collagenase (MMP-8). A number of these compounds exhibited considerable inhibitory activity against the tested metalloproteinases.