4-Fluoromethylphenidate (also known as 4-FMPH and 4F-MPH) is a

stimulant Stimulants (also often referred to as psychostimulants or colloquially as uppers) is an overarching term that covers many drugs including those that increase activity of the central nervous system and the body, drugs that are pleasurable and inv ...

drug that acts as a higher potency

dopamine reuptake inhibitor A dopamine reuptake inhibitor (DRI) is a class of drug which acts as a reuptake inhibitor of the monoamine neurotransmitter dopamine by blocking the action of the dopamine transporter (DAT). Reuptake inhibition is achieved when extracellular ...

than the closely related

methylphenidate Methylphenidate, sold under the brand names Ritalin and Concerta among others, is the most widely prescribed central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and, to a lesser extent ...

. 4-Fluoromethylphenidate was studied further along with other analogues of (±)-threo-methylphenidate (TMP) to assess their potential as anti-

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...

medications. 4F-MPH was reported as having an ED₅₀ mg/kg of 0.26 (0.18–0.36), regarding its efficacy as a substitute for cocaine, and a relative potency of 3.33 compared to methylphenidate for the same purpose. This is based on its binding strength to the

dopamine transporter The dopamine transporter (also dopamine active transporter, DAT, SLC6A3) is a membrane-spanning protein that pumps the neurotransmitter dopamine out of the synaptic cleft back into cytosol. In the cytosol, other transporters sequester the dop ...

vs. its activity as a

. In theory, this would block some of the effects of cocaine, without being as addictive. This has been misinterpreted as a dopamine vs.

norepinephrine Norepinephrine (NE), also called noradrenaline (NA) or noradrenalin, is an organic chemical in the catecholamine family that functions in the brain and body as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. The name "noradrenaline" (from Latin '' ad ...

selectivity ratio. Another study found that in the threo-isomers of methylphenidate, the

meta Meta (from the Greek μετά, '' meta'', meaning "after" or "beyond") is a prefix meaning "more comprehensive" or "transcending". In modern nomenclature, ''meta''- can also serve as a prefix meaning self-referential, as a field of study or end ...

- and

para Para, or PARA, may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange * Para Group, the former name of CT Corp * Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer * Para USA, formerly ...

-substituted compounds with electron-withdrawing substituents tended to have increased binding potency. Compounds containing

fluorine Fluorine is a chemical element with the symbol F and atomic number 9. It is the lightest halogen and exists at standard conditions as a highly toxic, pale yellow diatomic gas. As the most electronegative reactive element, it is extremely reactiv ...

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine i ...

bromine Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table ( halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simi ...

and

methyl In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in ...

groups were reported to be more potent than methylphenidate as well as the closely related compound

4F-EPH 4-Fluoroethylphenidate (4F-EPH) is a recreational designer drug from the phenidate family, with stimulant effects. It was first identified in France in March 2016. It has been used as a nootropic drug, and was made illegal in the UK in 2017, an ...

. 4F-MPH was reported as having the following values: sup>3H IN 35428 binding of 35.0 ± 3.0 (2) and sup>3Hopamine 142 ± 2.0 (2).

Legal status

4-Fluoromethylphenidate is a Schedule I controlled substance in the US state Alabama. As of 5 May 2017, 4-fluoromethylphenidate is a controlled substance in Canada.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fluoromethylphenidate, 4- 2-Benzylpiperidines Carboxylate esters Designer drugs Methyl esters Norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitors Stimulants 2-Piperidinyl compounds

Legal status

See also

References