Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of (E)- and (Z)-styryl-2-acetoxyphenyl sulfides and sulfones as cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

A new series of styryl acetoxyphenyl sulfides and sulfones possessing (E)- and (Z)-configurations were designed and prepared by stereospecific syntheses. All these compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit COX-2 enzyme in vitro. Structure-activity relationship studies on these compounds revealed that only sulfides with (Z)-configuration have potential COX-2 inhibitory activity. This inactivation of the enzyme is believed to be due to the selective covalent modification of COX-2 by the inhibitors.