(S)-5-Bromo-2,3-dimethoxy-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]benzamide (6) and some related compounds, i.e. the R isomer 7, the 3-hydroxy analogue 8, the desbromo derivative 9, the monomethoxy compound 10, and the 2,4-dimethoxy analogue 11, have been synthesized from the corresponding benzoic acids. The benzamides, lacking o-hydroxy groups, were evaluated for their affinity for the [3H]spiperone binding site and for their inhibition of apomorphine-induced behavioral responses in relation to the effect of the corresponding salicylamides. Besides the 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzamide 12 and the related 1,4-benzodioxane (13) and 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (14), carboxamides were investigated in order to evaluate the stereoelectronic requirements on the 2-methoxy group for the receptor interaction. The study supports the view that the o-methoxy group may adopt coplanar, as well as perpendicular orientations, and maintain the intramolecular hydrogen bonding required in the bioactive conformation. The benzamide 6 was found to be equipotent with the analogous highly active salicylamide 3 (FLB 463) both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, 6 displayed a preferential inhibition of the hyperactivity component of the behavioral syndrome, which is regarded to indicate a low tendency to induce extrapyramidal side effects in man at antipsychotically effective doses. The benzamide class of compounds (6-10) were found to be somewhat more sensitive to the structural modifications than the salicylamide class, i.e. the o-hydroxy-substituted benzamides (2-5). The potent and selective benzamide 6 (FLB 457) is highly suitable for investigations of dopamine D-2 mediated responses and, in radiolabeled form, for receptor binding studies in vitro and in vivo.