JWH-251 (1-pentyl-3-(2-methylphenylacetyl)indole) is a

synthetic cannabinoid Synthetic cannabinoids, or neocannabinoids, are a class of designer drug molecules that Binding affinity, bind to the same receptors to which cannabinoids (Tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, Cannabidiol, CBD and many others) in cannabis plants attach. Th ...

from the phenylacetylindole family, which acts as a cannabinoid agonist with about five times selectivity for CB₁ with a K_i of 29 nM and 146 nM at CB₂. Similar to the related 2'-methoxy compound

JWH-250 JWH-250 or (1-pentyl-3-(2-methoxyphenylacetyl)indole) is an analgesic chemical from the phenylacetylindole family that acts as a cannabinoid agonist at both the Cannabinoid receptor 1, CB1 and Cannabinoid receptor 2 (macrophage), CB2 receptors, w ...

, the 2'- chloro compound

JWH-203 JWH-203 (1-pentyl-3-(2-chlorophenylacetyl)indole) is an analgesic chemical from the phenylacetylindole family that acts as a cannabinoid agonist with approximately equal affinity at both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, having a Ki of 8.0 nM a ...

, and the 2'- bromo compound

JWH-249 JWH-249 (1-pentyl-3-(2-bromophenylacetyl)indole) is a synthetic cannabinoid from the phenylacetylindole family, which acts as a cannabinoid agonist with about 2.4 times selectivity for CB1 with a Ki of 8.4 ± 1.8 nM and 20&nbs ...

, JWH-251 has a

phenyl In organic chemistry, the phenyl group, or phenyl ring, is a cyclic group of atoms with the formula , and is often represented by the symbol Ph (archaically φ) or Ø. The phenyl group is closely related to benzene and can be viewed as a benzene ...

acetyl In organic chemistry, an acetyl group is a functional group denoted by the chemical formula and the structure . It is sometimes represented by the symbol Ac (not to be confused with the element actinium). In IUPAC nomenclature, an acetyl grou ...

group in place of the

naphthoyl Naphthoyl (naphthalenecarbonyl) is an acyl group derived from naphthoic acid. It may refer to: * 1-naphthoyl (naphthalene-1-carbonyl), derived from 1-naphthoic acid * 2-naphthoyl (naphthalene-2-carbonyl), derived from 2-naphthoic acid See als ...

ring used in most

aminoalkylindole Aminoalkylindoles (AAIs) are a family of cannabinergic compound that act as a cannabinoid receptor agonist. They were synthesized by the pharmaceutical company Sterling-Winthrop in the early 1990s with a commercial potential as a new family of n ...

cannabinoid compounds. In the United States, all CB₁ receptor agonists of the 3-phenylacetylindole class such as JWH-251 are

Schedule I Controlled Substance The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is the statute establishing federal U.S. drug policy under which the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances is regulated. It was passed by the 91st United State ...

References

JWH cannabinoids Phenylacetylindoles Designer drugs CB1 receptor agonists CB2 receptor agonists Pentyl compounds {{Cannabinoid-stub