1 We have compared the binding properties of several hexocyclium and sila-hexocyclium derivatives to muscarinic M, receptors (in rat brain, human neuroblastoma (NB-OK 1) cells and calf superior cervical ganglia), rat heart M2 receptors, rat pancreas M3 receptors and M4 receptors in rat striatum, with their functional antimuscarinic properties in rabbit vas deferens (MI/M4-like), guinea-pig atria (M2), and guinea-pig ileum (M3) muscarinic receptors.2 Sila-substitution (C/Si exchange) of hexocyclium (-* sila-hexocyclium) and demethyl-hexocyclium (+ demethyl-sila-hexocyclium) did not significantly affect their affinities for muscarinic receptors. By contrast, sila-substitution of o-methoxy-hexocyclium increased its affinity 2 to 3 fold for all the muscarinic receptor subtypes studied. 3 The p-fluoro-and p-chloro-derivatives of sila-hexocyclium had lower affinities than the parent compound at the four receptor subtypes, in binding and pharmacological studies.4 In binding studies, o-methoxy-sila-hexocyclium (MI = M4 > M3 > M2) had a much lower affinity than sila-hexocyclium for the four receptor subtypes, and discriminated the receptor subtypes more poorly than sila-hexocyclium (MI = M3 > M4> M2). This is in marked contrast with the very clear selectivity of o-methoxy-sila-hexocyclium for the prejunctional M1/M4-like heteroreceptors in rabbit vas deferens.5 The tertiary amines demethyl-hexocycium, demethyl-sila-hexocyclium and demethyl-o-methoxy-silahexocychum had 10 to 30 fold lower affinities than the corresponding quaternary ammonium derivatives.