Fluorescent selective angiotensin AT₁ receptor antagonists (sartans) that contain naphthalene (6, 7, 10, and 11), anthracene (12 and 14), acenaphthene (13 and 15), and coumarin (8 and 9) substituents have been prepared and their preliminary pharmacology evaluated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell based assays. Compounds 6-15 proved to be effective sartans with pKB estimates in the range of 6.7-10.5; their potential as cellular imaging agents is also discussed.

Benzothiophene and benzoselenophene analogues of the thiophene-containing antihypertensives milfasartan and eprosartan were prepared and tested for AT1 receptor antagonist properties. While the sulfur-containing systems were prepared following existing methodology, the selenium-containing analogues required the development of novel, tandem free-radical chemistry involving addition of aryl radicals to alkynes, followed by intramolecular homolytic substitution at the higher heteroatom. All four compounds prepared proved to be excellent AT₁ receptor antagonists, with pKв estimates of 7.2-9.5.

Novel paramagnetic selective angiotensin AT₁ receptor antagonists (sartans) bearing nitroxides (3, 4) have been prepared and their pharmacology evaluated in vitro as well as in vivo. Compounds 3, 4 proved to be effective sartans with pKB estimates in the range 6.2-9.1. In addition, the sodium salt (11) of 4 (R = Bu) is able to protect against vascular injury in hypertensive rats as determined by its ability to attenuate the development of intimal thickening caused by balloon injury of the carotid artery.