New cyclooxygenase-2/5-lipoxygenase inhibitors. 1. 7-tert-buty1-2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethylbenzofuran derivatives as gastrointestinal safe antiinflammatory and analgesic agents: discovery and variation of the 5-keto substituent.

A series of 5-keto-substituted 7-tert-buty1-2,3-dihydro-3,3- dimethylbenzofurans (DHDMBFs) were prepared and evaluated as potential nonsteroidal antiinflammatory and analgesic agents. Interest in this class of compounds arose when a DHDMBF was found to be an active metabolite of the di-tert-butylphenol antiinflammatory agent tebufelone. We have now found that a variety of 5-keto-substituted DHDMBFs have good in vivo antiinflammatory and analgesic activity after oral administration. These compounds inhibit both cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) in vitro. The cyclooxygenase inhibition was found to be selective for the cyclooxygenase-2 isoform, and this combination of COX-2/5-LOX inhibition may be responsible for the gastrointestinal safety of compounds such as 30.