The alpha and beta adrenoceptor-mediated effects of the catecholimidazoline, 3,4-dihydroxytolazoline, and its 2-, 5- and 6-aromatic fluorine-substituted derivatives have been studied in the cardiovascular system of the pithed rat. All four compounds produced vasopressor responses in beta adrenoceptor blocked (propranolol, 3 mg/kg i.v.) animals. The pressor responses produced by all four compounds were antagonized by the selective alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin (0.1 mg/kg i.v.), and were relatively unaffected by the selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, rauwolscine (0.5 mg/kg i.v.), indicating that vasoconstriction produced by the fluorinated imidazolines was mediated exclusively by postjunctional vascular alpha-1 adrenoceptors. The rank order of potency at the alpha-1 adrenoceptor was: 5-fluoro greater than 2-fluoro greater than desfluoro greater than 6-fluoro. At higher doses, 3,4-dihydroxytolazoline and its fluorinated derivatives produced an alpha-2 adrenoceptor-mediated inhibition of neurogenic tachycardia in animals pretreated with prazosin, with all four compounds being equipotent. In rats with complete alpha adrenoceptor blockade [phenoxybenzamine (3 mg/kg i.v.), prazosin (0.1 mg/kg i.v.) and rauwolscine (1 mg/kg i.v.)] whose blood pressure was elevated by constant infusion of angiotensin II (150 ng/kg/min i.v.), high doses of the 2-fluoro-, but not the 5-, 6- or desfluoro catecholimidazoline derivatives, produced a beta-2 adrenoceptor-mediated vasodepressor response. All four compounds produced a beta-1 adrenoceptor-mediated positive chronotropic response in pithed rats with the rank order of potency being: 2-fluoro = 5-fluoro greater than desfluoro greater than 6-fluoro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)