The preparation of a series of 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs) which have polar, acyclic, nonbasic substituents on an ethoxymethyl chain at the 2-position is described. In addition, in order to assess the effects of incorporating a basic center into DHPs of this type, a series of glycinamides were also prepared. The calcium antagonist activity on rat aorta of both these classes of DHP is compared with their negative inotropic activity as determined by using a Langendorff perfused guinea pig heart model. A number of the compounds evaluated have activity of the same order as nifedipine although those with more extended substituents have lower potency, particularly when a basic substituent is present. The compounds examined displayed a wide variation in selectivity for vascular over cardiac tissue. A number of structure-activity relationship trends were identified and possible explanations to account for the differences in selectivity observed are advanced. One of the compounds, 2-[[2-[[4-(2-chlorophenyl)-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-5-(methoxycarbonyl)-6- methyl-1,4-dihydropyrid-2-yl]methoxy]ethyl]amino]acetamide (26, UK-51,656), was identified as a potent (IC50 = 4 x 10(-9) M) calcium antagonist which is 20-fold selective for vascular over cardiac tissue and which has a markedly longer duration of action (greater than 5 h) than nifedipine in the anesthetized dog on intravenous administration. The pharmacokinetic half-life of 26 was established as 4.7 h and possible explanations are advanced to account for 26 having a shorter plasma half-life than amlodipine and a longer plasma half-life than felodipine.