Several derivatives of the potent angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor 5(S)-benzamido-4-oxo-6-phenylhexanoyl-L-proline (1) were synthesized and tested for converting enzyme inhibition activity and blood pressure lowering effects in rats. One compound, 5(S)-benzamido-2(R)-methyl-4-oxo-6-phenylhexanoyl-L-proline (2a), had and I50 against angiotensin converting enzyme of 1.0 x 10(-9) M and is the most potent inhibitor prepared thus far in this class of compounds. Testing of 2a orally at 30 mg/kg for inhibition of the angiotensin I induced blood pressure increase in conscious normotensive rats gave 100% inhibition that required 143 min before the angiotensin I blood pressure response returned to 70% of the pretreatment control response. In the conscious renal hypertensive rat, 2a given orally at a dose of 3 mg/kg caused a lowering of blood pressure that reached its maximum of 40 mmHg 8 h following drug administration.