In our continuing efforts toward the development of disease modifying treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we are targeting inhibition of overproduction of tumor necrosis factor alpha cytokine (TNF-a) that is recognized as a key cytokine in RA progression. A small molecule inhibitor of TNF-a would be a novel potent anti-inflammatory drug having this distinguished mechanism of action. In the frame of our project aimed toward synthesis, ...