On the basis of a spirocyclic ether screening lead, a series of acyclic sulfones have been identifed as high-affinity, selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonists. Bioavailability lacking in the parent, 1-(2-(2, 4-difluorophenyl) ethyl)-4-(phenylsulfonyl) piperidine (12), was introduced by using stability toward rat liver microsomes as a predictor of bioavailability. By this means, the 4-cyano-and 4-carboxamidophenylsulfonyl derivatives 26 and 31 were identified as orally ...