3-Nitroatenolol: First Synthesis, Chiral Resolution and Enantiomers' Absolute Configuration

4-Nitro and 7-nitro propranolol have been recently synthesized and characterized by us. (+/-)-4-NO2-propranolol has been shown to act as a selective antagonist of 6-nitrodopamine (6-ND) receptors in the right atrium of rats. As part of our follow-up to this study, herein, we describe the first synthesis of (+/-)-3-nitroatenolol as a probe to evaluate the potential nitration of atenolol by endothelium. Chiral chromatography was used to produce pure enantiomers. By using Riguera's method, which is based on the sign distribution of Delta delta H, the absolute configuration of the secondary alcohol was determined.