1 The f-adrenoceptor affinity and blocking potency of the two enantiomers and the racemate of metoprolol were investigated in vitro, by use of a receptor-binding technique, and in vivo in the anaesthetized cat.2 The enantiomeric purity of the S-and R-form was: > 99.2% and > 99.9%, respectively.3 The fl1-and fl2-adrenoceptor affinity (-log equilibrium dissociation-constant) of the enantiomers was determined from competition binding experiments (radioligand: [125I]4S)-pindolol) performed in membranes prepared from the guinea-pig left ventricular free wall (predominantly fl1) and soleus muscle (#2)The fl1-adrenoceptor affinity was (means + s.d.): 7.73 + 0.10 and 5.00 + 0.06 for the S-and R-form of metoprolol, respectively. The corresponding values for fl2-adrenoceptors were 6.28 + 0.06 (S) and 4.52 + 0.09 (R). Thus, the difference in affinity for the two enantiomers was greater on fl1-(about 500) than on fl2-adrenoceptors (about 50). The #1-adrenoceptor selectivity of the S-form (about 30) was similar to that of the racemic metoprolol, while the R-form was almost non-selective (3 fold fl1-selective). 4 In the anaesthetized cat, the (-log) intravenous doses (pmolkg-1) of S-and R-metoprolol causing a 50% reduction (ED50) in the heart rate response to sympathetic nerve stimulation were determined. The doses inducing a 25% depression (DD25) of the basal myocardial contractility were also estimated. For the two enantiomers, the fl-blocking potency (-log ED5o) was 7.04 + 0.16 (S) and 4.65 + 0.16 (R). A significant cardiodepressive effect was observed at high doses (-log DD25): 4.18 + 0.20 (S) and 4.08 + 0.10 (R).5 It is concluded that the binding of metoprolol to fl1-adrenoceptors has a stricter steric requirement than that for the binding of this fl-blocker to f2-adrenoceptors. Furthermore, the non-specific cardiodepressive effect of metoprolol was observed at equally high doses for the two enantiomers.