Substituted phenethylsulfones and method of reducing TNF.alpha. levels

A sulfone selected from the group consisting of

• (a) a compound of the formula:
• ##STR4## in which:
• the carbon atom designated * constitutes a center of chirality;
• Y is C.dbd.O, CH.sub.2, or CH.sub.2 C.dbd.O;
• each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4, independently of the others, is hydrogen, halo, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, or --NR.sup.8 R.sup.9 ;
• or any two of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 on adjacent carbon atoms, together with the depicted phenylene ring are naphthylidene
• each of R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, independently of the other, is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano, or cycloalkoxy of up to 18 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.7 is hydroxy, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, phenyl, benzyl, or NR.sup.8' R.sup.9' ;
• each of R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 taken independently of the other is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, phenyl, or benzyl, or one of R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 is hydrogen and the other is --COR.sup.10, or --SO.sub.2 R.sup.10, or R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 taken together are tetramethylene, pentamethylene, hexamethylene, or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.1 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- in which X.sup.1 is --O--, --S-- or --NH--;
• each of R.sup.8' and R.sup.9' taken independently of the other is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, phenyl, or benzyl, or one of R.sup.8' and R.sup.9' is hydrogen and the other is --COR.sup.10', or --SO.sub.2 R.sup.10', or R.sup.8' and R.sup.9' taken together are tetramethylene, pentamethylene, hexamethylene, or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 X.sup.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- in which X.sup.2 is --O--, --S-- or --NH--;
• R.sup.10 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or phenyl;
• and
• R.sup.10' is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or phenyl;
• and
• (b) the acid addition salts of said compounds which contain a nitrogen atom susceptible of protonation.