[Studies on the new antiarthritic drug candidate S-2474]

Various 1,2-isothiazolidine-1,1-dioxide (gamma-sultam) derivatives containing an antioxidant moiety, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-phenol substituent, were prepared. Some compounds that have a lower alkyl group at the 2-position of the gamma-sultam skeleton showed potent inhibitory effects on both cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), as well as production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in in vitro assays. They also proved to be effective in several animal arthritic models without any ulcerogenic activities. Among these compounds, (E)-(5)-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylidence)-2-ethyl-1,2- isothiazolidine-1,1-dioxide (S-2474) was selected as an antiarthritic drug candidate. The structure-activity relationships examined and some pharmacological evaluations are described. Furthermore, we have developed an efficient and E-selective synthesis of S-2474, in which alpha-methoxy-p-quinone methide is used as a key intermediate. alpha-Methoxy-p-quinone methide was revealed to be equivalent to a p-hydroxy-protected benzaldehyde. It reacts smoothly with alpha-sulfonyl carbanion to give 1,6-addition intermediates, which can be further processed to provide S-2474 directly in the presence of a base. This procedure gives S-2474 as an almost single isomer on the benzylidene double bond in excellent yield and thus is a very practical method adaptable to large-scale synthesis. The detailed mechanistic aspects are studied and discussed.