Synthetic inhibitors of interleukin-6 I: 2,3,7,8-tetrahydro-4-aryl-1H-cyclopent [e] imidazo [1,2-a]- pyridin-5(6H)-one and related compounds

A versatile synthetic route to the title class of compounds and the development of an orally absorbed analogue of the lead structure are described. The minimum structural requirements needed in the compounds related to 1 for the inhibition of interleukin-6 were identified.