3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (DMPEA or 3,4-DMPEA), also known as homoveratrylamine, 3-desmethoxymescaline, or O,O-dimethyldopamine, is a chemical compound of the phenethylamine family. It is an analogue of the major human neurotransmitter dopamine where the 3- and 4-position hydroxy groups have been replaced with methoxy groups. It is also closely related to mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine; 3,4,5-TMPEA) and to 3,4-dimethoxyamphetamine (3,4-DMA).
Use and effects According to Alexander Shulgin in his book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved) and other publications, DMPEA is inactive in humans at doses of up to 1,000mg orally and at a dose of 10mg intravenously.
Interactions
Pharmacology Pharmacodynamics DMPEA shows weak affinity for serotonin receptors. It induces the head-twitch response, a behavioral proxy of serotonergic psychedelic effects, in rodents. DMPEA has some activity as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor.
Pharmacokinetics The elimination half-life of DMPEA is said to be less than 1hour, indicating rapid and extensive metabolism and inactivation.
Chemistry Synthesis One of the earliest syntheses of DMPEA (then referred to as "homoveratrylamine") was that of Pictet and Finkelstein, who made it in a multi-step sequence starting from vanillin.A. Pictet and M. Finkelstein (1909). "Synthese des Laudanosins." Ber. 42 1979-1989. A similar sequence was subsequently reported by Buck and Perkin,J. S. Buck and W. H. Perkin (1924). "CCXVIII. Ψ-epiBerberine." J. Chem. Soc., Trans. 125 1675-1686. as follows:
3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde (veratraldehyde) → 3,4-Dimethoxycinnamic acid → 3,4-Dimethoxyphenylpropionic acid → 3,4-Dimethoxyphenylpropionamide → 3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine
A much shorter synthesis is given by Shulgin and Shulgin. http://www.erowid.org/library/books_online/pihkal/pihkal060.shtml
Derivatives Identified uses for DMPEA includes the following list of agents:
1. Bevantolol. 2. Bisobrin 3. Bometolol 4. Buquiterine 5. Denopamine 6. Dobutamine 7. Dopamine 8. Dopexamine 9. Dramedilol 10. Drotaverine 11. Ecastolol 12. Falipamil 13. Gallopamil 14. Methopholine 15. Mixidine 16. Mefeclorazine 17. Nigellimine [4594-02-9] 18. Nuciferine 19. Papaverine 20. Tetrabenazine 21. Tiapamil 22. Trimethoquinol 23. Veradoline 24. Verapamil.
Natural occurrence DMPEA occurs naturally along with mescaline in various species of cacti such as San Pedro and Peruvian Torch.
See also Substituted methoxyphenethylamine Scaline § Related compounds Dimethoxyphenethylamine 3-Methoxytyramine Mescaline 3-Methoxy-4-ethoxyphenethylamine (MEPEA; 3-desmethoxyescaline) 3-Methoxy-4-allyloxyphenethylamine (MAPEA; 3-desmethoxyallylescaline) Pachycereus pringlei § Constituents and effects
References
External links 3,4-DMPEA - Isomer Design DMPEA - PiHKAL - Erowid DMPEA - PiHKAL - Isomer Design DMPEA - The Shulgin Index