An analysis of the inhibition constants of pyrazoles, phenylacetamides, formylbenzylamines, and acetamides acting on liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) yields quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) having a linear dependency on octanol-water partition coefficients (log P). The average coefficient and standard deviation with the log P term for six different QSAR is 0.96 (+/- 0.14). This suggests complete desolvation of the substituents (directly comparable to partitioning into octanol) on binding to the enzyme. Study of a molecular graphics model of ADH constructed from the X-ray crystallographic coordinates shows that the substituents are engulfed in a long hydrophobic channel which is so narrow that water of solvation must be removed from them in the binding process.