Isoxazole compounds as cyclooxygenase inhibitors

A method of preparing compounds of Formula II ##STR95## wherein R.sup.4 is selected from hydroxyl, lower alkyl, carboxyl, halo, lower carboxyalkyl, lower alkoxycarbonylalkyl, lower aralkyl, methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy, lower alkylthio, lower alkoxyalkyl, lower aryloxyalkyl, lower arylthioalkyl, lower haloalkyl, lower hydroxylalkyl, lower aralkoxyalkyl, lower aryl(hydroxylalkyl), lower carboxyalkoxyalkyl, lower carboxyaryloxyalkyl, lower alkoxycarbonylaryloxyalkyl, lower cycloalkyl and lower cycloalkylalkyl;

• wherein R.sup.5 is amino;
• and wherein R.sup.6 is phenyl;
• wherein R.sup.6 is optionally substituted at a substitutable position with one or more radicals independently selected from lower alkylsulfinyl, lower alkyl, cyano, carboxyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower haloalkyl, hydroxyl, lower hydroxyalkyl, amino, lower haloalkoxy, lower alkylamino, phenylamino, lower aminoalkyl, nitro, halo, lower alkoxy, methylenedioxy, aminosulfonyl, and lower alkylthio;
• or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, the method comprising the steps of forming a diphenylethanone derivative oxime by treatment of a diphenylethanone derivative with hydroxylamine, treating said oxime with base and an acylating agent to form a diphenylisoxazoline derivative, and forming the (isoxazol-4-yl)benzenesulfonamide by treatment of the isoxazoline with chlorosulfonic acid and ammonia.