A new structural variation on the methanesulfonylphenyl class of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

By inserting an oxygen link between the 3-fluorophenyl and the lactone ring of 5,5-dimethyl-3-(3-fluorophenyl)-4-(4-methanesulfonylphenyl)-2(5H)-furanone 1 (DFU), analogs with enhanced in vitro COX-2 inhibitory potency as well as in vivo potency in models of inflammation were obtained.