The present invention describes a method for programming a specific course and rate of metabolism for a parent drug compound that leads to an inactive or very weakly active and nontoxic metabolite when the modified drug compound is administered. The parent drug compound is modified by forming one or more of a predetermined chemical arrangement within the parent drug structure where the chemical arrangement is A-O-(R)--X--R'; where A is absent or is a tether moiety which allows for a metabolically stable chemical connection to be made to the parent drug compound; O is a substituted aryl or heteroaryl system that is already present within the parent drug compound or is specifically added to the parent drug compound via A; R is an alkyl or alkene containing chain either branched or unbranched from 0 to 10 carbons that is either also already present within the parent drug compound or is specifically added to the parent drug compound via connection to O; X is a carboxyl, sulfoxyl or phosphatyl function that is specifically added to the parent drug compound via connection to R; and, R' is an added alkyl, alkenyl, or aralkyl group either branched or unbranched containing from 1 to 10 carbons, other common leaving group, or a structural element already present as an inherent portion of the parent drug compound.