Novel bisubstituted catechols were found to be potent and highly selective COMT inhibitors in vitro. One of them, OR-462 (3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-benzylidene)-2,4-pentanedione), was studied also in vivo. When administered to rats orally together with levodopa and carbidopa, OR-462 greatly improved the bioavailability of levodopa and effectively reduced the formation of 3OMD. The levels of levodopa and dopamine were increased also in the striatum, and the 3OMD levels were decreased. The metabolic profile of dopamine demonstrated that COMT inhibition occurred in the peripheral tissues but not in the striatum. OR-462 thus resembled the peripheral inhibitors of dopadecarboxylase. These potent, selective and orally active COMT inhibitors offer a new tool for interfering in the metabolism of various COMT substrates.