Rational Design of the New Antihypertensive I1-Receptor Ligand 2-(2- Biphenyl-2-yl-1-methyl-ethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole

The new antihypertensive I1-receptor agonist (4) was rationally synthetized by the insertion of a phenyl group in the ortho position of the aromatic ring of the I1-selective antagonist (3). This "antagonismagonism" modulation, highlights the existence of expected analogies between I1- and α2-adrenoreceptor systems. Chirality proves to be crucial for the activation of I1-receptors, since the cardiovascular effects are produced exclusively by the (S)-(+)-4 enantiomer.