To find novel PPAR ligands, we prepared several 3-{3 or 4-[2-(nonylpyridin-2-ylamino) ethoxy] phenyl} propanoic acid derivatives which were designed based on the structure of our previous PPARγ ligand 1. In PPAR binding affinity assays, compound 4, which had an ethoxy group at the C-2 position of the propanoic acid of 1, showed selective binding affinity for PPARγ. Compound 3, with an ethyl group at the C-2 position, was found to be a ...