Relationships between conformational behaviour and binding affinity towards β1 and β2 adrenoceptors of some chiral phenoxypropanolamines with bulky N-substituents

The optical isomers of a series of phenoxypropanolamine compounds with N-substituents bulkier than isopropyl have been synthesized, and their binding affinity towards β1 and β2-adrenoceptors has been determined. A computational study, including a Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation and quenching in water and a GRID analysis provided some useful suggestions for possible interpretation patterns for the different affinity exhibited by the compounds studied.