1-[(4-methyl thio)phenyl]-2-(phenyl acetoxy)-1-ethanone and a process for preparing the same

This invention relates to 1-[(4-methyl thio)phenyl]-2-(phenyl acetoxy)-1-ethanone. This compound is convertible into 4-(4-methyl thio phenyl)-3-phenyl-2 (5H)-furanone by an economically viable process. This substituted furanone is an intermediate or starting compound for synthesising COX II inhibitor Rofecoxib. This invention also includes a process for preparing the ethanone derivative by halogenating methyl thio aceto phenone and coupling the resulting 2 halosubstituted ethanone with sodium salt of phenyl acetic acid to obtain 1-[(4-methyl thio) phenyl]-2-(phenyl acetoxy)-1-ethanone.