Fipexide (Attentil, Vigilor) is a
psychoactive drug
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, psychoactive agent or psychotropic drug is a chemical substance, that changes functions of the nervous system, and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition or behavior. ...
of the
piperazine
Piperazine () is an organic compound that consists of a six-membered ring containing two nitrogen atoms at opposite positions in the ring. Piperazine exists as small alkaline deliquescent crystals with a saline taste.
The piperazines are a broad ...
chemical class Chemical classification systems attempt to classify elements or compounds according to certain chemical functional or structural properties. Whereas the structural properties are largely intrinsic, functional properties and the derived classificat ...
which was developed in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
in 1983.
It was used as a
nootropic
Nootropics ( , or ) (colloquial: smart drugs and cognitive enhancers, similar to adaptogens) are a wide range of natural or synthetic dietary supplement, supplements or drugs and other substances that are claimed to improve cognitive function ...
drug in Italy and
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, mainly for the treatment of senile dementia,
but is no longer in common use due to the occurrence of rare adverse drug reactions including
fever
Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...
and
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...
. Fipexide is similar in action to other nootropic drugs such as
piracetam and has a few similarities in chemical structure to
centrophenoxine
Meclofenoxate (INN, BAN; brand name Lucidril, also known as centrophenoxine) is a cholinergic nootropic used as a dietary supplement. It is an ester of dimethylethanolamine (DMAE) and 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (pCPA).
In elderly patients, me ...
. Chemically, it is an amide union of
parachlorophenoxyacetate and
methylenedioxybenzylpiperazine (MDBZP), and has been shown to metabolize to the latter, which plays a significant role in its effects.
Synthesis
PTC alkylation of
piperazine
Piperazine () is an organic compound that consists of a six-membered ring containing two nitrogen atoms at opposite positions in the ring. Piperazine exists as small alkaline deliquescent crystals with a saline taste.
The piperazines are a broad ...
(1) with 2 equivalents of piperonyl chloride
5054-53-9(2) in the presence of cetrimonium bromide gives 1,4-bis-piperonylpiperazine
5436-41-4(3). Base catalyzed treatment with
4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4) displaces one of the piperonyl groups to give fipexide (5).
See also
*
Substituted piperazine
Substituted piperazines are a class of chemical compounds based on a piperazine core. Some are used as recreational drugs and some are used in scientific research.
List of substituted piperazines
Benzylpiperazines
File:Benzylpiperazine.svg, 1- ...
*
Befuraline
*
Piberaline
References
Nootropics
Benzodioxoles
Piperazines
Carboxamides
Phenol ethers
Chloroarenes
Serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agents
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