5,6-Methylenedioxy-''N''-methyl-2-aminoindane (MDMAI), is a

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...

developed in the 1990s by a team led by

David E. Nichols David Earl Nichols (born December 23, 1944, Covington, Kentucky) is an Americans, American pharmacologist and medicinal chemist. Previously the Robert C. and Charlotte P. Anderson Distinguished Chair in Pharmacology at Purdue University, Nichol ...

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

. It acts as a non-

neurotoxic Neurotoxicity is a form of toxicity in which a biological, chemical, or physical agent produces an adverse effect on the structure or function of the central and/or peripheral nervous system. It occurs when exposure to a substance – specificall ...

and highly selective

serotonin releasing agent A serotonin releasing agent (SRA) is a type of drug that induces the release of serotonin into the neuronal synaptic cleft. A selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) is an SRA with less significant or no efficacy in producing neurotransmitter e ...

(SSRA) in animals and a putative entactogen in humans.

Chemistry

MDMAI can be thought of as a cyclised analogue of

MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly seen in Tablet (pharmacy), tablet form (ecstasy) and crystal form (molly or mandy), is a potent empathogen–entactogen with stimulant properties primarily used for Recreational dru ...

where the alpha-methyl carbon of the alkylamino side chain has been joined back round to the 6-position of the aromatic ring to form an

indane Indane or indan is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(CH2)3. It is a colorless liquid hydrocarbon. It is a petrochemical, a bicyclic compound. It occurs at the level of about 0.1% in coal tar. It is usually produced by hydrogenation of ...

ring system. This changes the core structure of the molecule from

phenethylamine Phenethylamine (PEA) is an organic compound, natural monoamine alkaloid, and trace amine, which acts as a central nervous system stimulant in humans. In the brain, phenethylamine regulates monoamine neurotransmission by binding to trace amin ...

to aminoindane, and causes the pharmacological properties of the two compounds to be substantially different.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Methylenedioxy-N-methyl-2-aminoindane, 5,6- Entactogens and empathogens Designer drugs Benzodioxoles Serotonin releasing agents