Rhone Poulenc Rorer

Aventis Pharma Limited

Michael John Ashton

Andrew David Morley

Garry Fenton

Malcolm Norman Palfreyman

Andrew James Ratcliffe

Bernard Yvon Vacher

Brian William Sharp

Sukanthini Thurairatnam

Nigel Vicker

Ian Michael McFarlane

David Charles Cook

Susan Jacqueline Hills

Bernard Yvon Jack Vacher

Michael Thomas Withnall

Sven Jan-Anders Karlsson

This invention is directed to the pharmaceutical use of phenyl compounds, which are linked to an aryl moiety by various linkages, for inhibiting tumor necrosis factor. The invention is also directed to the compounds, their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds. Furthermore, this invention is directed to the pharmaceutical use of the compounds for inhibiting cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase.

Compounds containing phenyl linked to aryl or heteroaryl by an aliphatic-or heteroatom-containing linking group

Compounds containing phenyl linked to aryl or heteroaryl by an aliphatic-

Compounds containing phenyl linked to aryl or heteroaryl by an

Compounds of formula I ##STR1## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, n, and are as defined herein, their use as antiinflammatory, immunosuppressive, and antiallergic agents, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and methods for their preparation comprising irradiating compounds of formula II ##STR2## under an inert atmosphere, in the presence or absence of a compound of formula R.sub.3 --S--S(O).sub.m --R.sub.8, where R.sub.7, R.sub.8, and m are as defined herein, and methods for their preparation comprising oxidizing, reducing, halogenating, or alkylating compounds of formula I are disclosed.

Antiinflammatory, immunosuppressive and antialleric 16,

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Dagenham, United Kingdom

Michael John Ashton