The preparation of the sulfoxide analogues 2 and 4, and their enantiomeric pure forms is discussed as well as their potential to act as prodrugs to the potent and selective sulfone- containing COX-2 inhibitors rofecoxib and etoricoxib. Sulfoxides 2 and 4 were shown to be effectively transformed in vivo into rofecoxib and etoricoxib, respectively, after oral administration in rats. In the case of sulfoxide 2, both a slightly improved pharmacokinetic ...
[Majo, Vattoly J.; Prabhakaran, Jaya; Simpson, Norman R.; Van Heertum, Ronald L.; Mann, J. John; Kumar, J. S. Dileep Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2005 , vol. 15, # 19 p. 4268 - 4271]