2-Methylmethcathinone (2-MMC, ortomephedrone) is a recreational
designer drug
A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. ...
with
stimulant
Stimulants (also known as central nervous system stimulants, or psychostimulants, or colloquially as uppers) are a class of drugs that increase alertness. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing attention, motivation, cognition, ...
and
euphoric
Euphoria ( ) is the experience (or affect) of pleasure or excitement and intense feelings of well-being and happiness. Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and danci ...
effects. It is a
substituted cathinone
Substituted cathinones, or simply cathinones, which include some stimulants and Empathogen-entactogen, entactogens, are chemical derivative, derivatives of cathinone. They feature a substituted phenethylamine, phenethylamine core with an alkyl ...
derivative, closely related to better known drugs such as
3-methylmethcathinone
3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), also known as metaphedrone, is a designer drug from the substituted cathinone family. 3-MMC is a monoamine transporter substrate (a substance acted upon by monoamine transporters in the brain) that potently releas ...
and
4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone). It was first identified in Sweden in 2014, and has subsequently been reported in other European countries such as Poland and Spain.
Chemistry
2-Methylmethcathinone's chemical name is 2-(methylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-one. It is one of many
substituted cathinone
Substituted cathinones, or simply cathinones, which include some stimulants and Empathogen-entactogen, entactogens, are chemical derivative, derivatives of cathinone. They feature a substituted phenethylamine, phenethylamine core with an alkyl ...
s, synthetic chemicals derived from the natural chemical
cathinone
Cathinone (; also known as β-ketoamphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub ''Catha edulis'' (khat) and is chemically similar to ephedrine, cathine, methcathinone and other amphetamines. It is probably the main contributor to t ...
, found in
khat
Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar area (present day eastern Ethiopia) and ...
. 2-MMC is a
positional isomer
In chemistry, a structural isomer (or constitutional isomer in the IUPAC nomenclature) of a compound is a compound that contains the same number and type of atoms, but with a different connectivity (i.e. arrangement of bonds) between them. The ...
of 3-MMC and 4-MMC.
Pharmacology
2-MMC is a
serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agent, with higher preference for the norepinephrine and dopamine transporters. 2-MMC is expected to have similar characteristics to other cathinones, although studies show 2-substituted cathinones are weaker compared to 3 and 4-substituted ones. This is potentially due to
steric hindrance
Steric effects arise from the spatial arrangement of atoms. When atoms come close together there is generally a rise in the energy of the molecule. Steric effects are nonbonding interactions that influence the shape ( conformation) and reactivi ...
.
In a study comparing various aryl-substituted methcathinone analogs in rat brain synaptosomes, the following values were found.
Legal status
2-MMC is controlled as a schedule I substance in the United States (under ''hallucinogenic substances'') as it is a positional isomer of 4-MMC.
2-MMC is controlled in Germany under the NpSG (New Psychoactive Substances Act).
Anlage NpSG
/ref> Selling, production with the purpose of sale, and administration are punishable. Possession is illegal, but not penalized.
2-MMC is illegal in Poland. Although it is not included in the list of psychotropic substances, it falls under the group of psychotropic substances of group I-P as an isomer of 3-MMC and 4-MMC (mephedrone).
It is illegal in the United Kingdom as a class B drug.
See also
* 2-CMC
* 2-Me-PVP
2-Methyl-alpha-PVP (2-Me-PVP) is a substituted cathinone derivative with stimulant effects which has been sold as a designer drug. It was first identified in Sweden in 2021.
See also
* 2-Methylmethcathinone
* 3F-PVP
* 3-Me-PVP
* 4-Cl-PVP ...
* 3-CMC
* 3-MMC
* Ortetamine
Ortetamine (International Nonproprietary Name, INN), also known as 2-methylamphetamine, is a stimulant drug of the substituted amphetamine, amphetamine class. In animal drug discrimination tests it substituted for dextroamphetamine more closely t ...
(2-Methylamphetamine)
References
Drugs not assigned an ATC code
Cathinones
Designer drugs
Serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agents
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