Replacement of the constrained phenylalanine analogue 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic) in the opioid Dmt-Tic-Gly-NH-Bn scaffold by the 4-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-indolo[2,3-c]azepin-3-one (Aia) and 4-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-2-benzazepin-3-one (Aba) scaffolds has led to the discovery of novel potent μ-selective agonists (Structures 5 and 12) as well as potent and selective δ-opioid receptor antagonists (Structures 9 and 15). Both stereochemistry and N-terminal N,Ndimethylation proved to be crucial factors for opioid receptor selectivity and functional bioactivity in the investigated small peptidomimetic templates. In addition to the in vitro pharmacological evaluation, automated docking models of Dmt-Tic and Dmt-Aba analogues were constructed in order to rationalize the observed structure-activity data.Conformationally constrained amino acids have found widespread application in search of novel peptidic opioid ligands with minored side-effects. 1-8 Such residues, inducing enhanced receptor selectivity and affinity, can be subdivided in sterically (e.g., β-methylphenylalanine, β-methyltryptophan, β-methyl-2′,6′-dimethyltyrosine) and covalently constrained derivatives [e.g., 2-aminotetralin-2-carboxylic acid (Atc), 2-aminoindane-2-carboxylic acid (Aic), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic)]. 9 The Dmt-Tic scaffold 1, in particular, has been recognized as a firmly established template for opioid ligand design. 3,4 Subtle changes in this scaffold have induced remarkable alterations in opioid receptor selectivity and/or activity, such as enhanced agonism, antagonism, or the acquisition of mixed activities at the opioid subtype receptors (i.e., μ, δ and κ receptors). Replacement of tyrosine by Dmt (2′,6′-