2-substituted indane-2-mercaptoacetylamide tricyclic derivatives useful as inhibitors of enkephalinase

A method of inhibiting enkephalinase in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to said patient an effective enkephalinase inhibitory amount of a compound of the formula ##STR7## wherein B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 are each independently hydrogen;

• hydroxy;
• --OR.sub.2 wherein R.sub.2 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or an Ar--Y group wherein Ar is aryl and Y is a hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl;
• or, where B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 are attached to adjacent carbon atoms, B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 can be taken together with said adjacent carbons to form a benzene ring or methylenedioxy;
• A is a bond, methylene, oxygen, sulfur, NR.sub.4 or NCOR.sub.5 wherein R.sub.4 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or an Ar--Y-- group and R.sub.5 is --CF.sub.3 or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 alkyl or an Ar--Y-- group;
• R.sub.1 is hydrogen, acetyl, --CH.sub.2 OC(O)C(CH.sub.3).sub.3 or benzoyl;
• n is an integer 0 to 3;
• and
• Q is a group of the formula R1 ? ##STR8## wherein Z is O, NR.sub.4 or S;
• and m is an integer 1 to 5.