Benzscaline

Pharmaceutical compound From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Benzscaline (BZ), also known as 4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (4-BzlO-3,5-DMPEA), is a serotonin receptor agonist and possible serotonergic psychedelic of the phenethylamine and scaline families.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Other namesBZ; 4-Benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; 4-BzlO-3,5-DMPEA

Drug classSerotonin receptor agonist; Possible serotonergic psychedelic

CAS Number

2176-16-1

PubChem CID

10613284

Quick facts Clinical data, Other names ...

Benzscaline
Clinical data

Other names	BZ; 4-Benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; 4-BzlO-3,5-DMPEA
Drug class	Serotonin receptor agonist; Possible serotonergic psychedelic
Identifiers
IUPAC name 2-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-phenylmethoxyphenyl)ethanamine
CAS Number	2176-16-1
PubChem CID	10613284
ChemSpider	8788650
ChEMBL	ChEMBL3305858
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID60878207
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C₁₇H₂₁NO₃
Molar mass	287.359 g·mol⁻¹
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OCC2=CC=CC=C2)OC)CCN
InChI InChI=1S/C17H21NO3/c1-19-15-10-14(8-9-18)11-16(20-2)17(15)21-12-13-6-4-3-5-7-13/h3-7,10-11H,8-9,12,18H2,1-2H3 Key:BUJBXOZJFOWVCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Use and effects

According to Alexander Shulgin in PiHKAL as well as Daniel Trachsel and colleagues, benzscaline is not known to have been tested in humans but may be active as a serotonergic psychedelic with predicted potency similar to that of proscaline (which is active at 30–60 mg orally).^[1]^[4] It is notable in this regard that the amphetamine (α-methyl) analogue of benzscaline, 3C-BZ, is active as a psychedelic with similar effects to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or 3,4,5-trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA), and is said to be 9-fold more potent than mescaline but with marked interindividual variability (3C-BZ being active at 25–200 mg orally).^[4]^[5] The high interindividual variability of 3C-BZ is said to have discouraged further investigation into benzscaline.^[3] Benzscaline was reportedly eventually assayed in humans at Hyperlab and this was published in 2014.^[6]

Pharmacology

Benzscaline is a potent serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor partial agonist, with an affinity (K_i) of 150 nM, an activational potency (EC₅₀Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration) of 27 nM, and an efficacy (E_maxTooltip maximal efficacy) of 77%.^[4] Its affinity and activational potency were 63- and 370-fold more potent than those of mescaline, respectively, and it was the most potent assessed mescaline analogue.^[4] In addition, benzscaline was more efficacious in activating the receptor than mescaline (E_max = 56% vs. 77%, respectively).^[4] Benzscaline does not activate the serotonin 5-HT_2B receptor (EC₅₀ = >10,000 nM), but does show affinity for the serotonin 5-HT_2C receptor (K_i = 440 nM).^[4] It also shows high affinity for the rat trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) (K_i = 110 nM), but not for the mouse TAAR1 (K_i = 2,400 nM), and does not activate the human TAAR1 (EC₅₀ = >10,000 nM).^[4] The drug does not appear to bind to the monoamine transporters (K_i = >7,500–9,700 nM).^[4]

History

Benzscaline was first patented in 1931 and was intended for therapeutic use.^[3]

Society and culture

Legal status

Canada

Benzscaline is not a controlled substance in Canada as of 2025.^[7]

References

[1]
Shulgin AT, Shulgin A (1991). "#141 PE Phenescaline; 3,5-Dimethoxy-4-phenethyloxyphenethylamine". PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1st ed.). Berkeley, CA: Transform Press. pp. 813–814. ISBN 978-0-9630096-0-9. OCLC 25627628. However, let's be awkward and misleading, and call this benzyloxy-base BZ. For one thing, the three-carbon analogue 3C-BZ has already been described in its own recipe using this code. And the 4-fluoroanalogue of it, 3C-FBZ, is also mentioned there. And BZ has already been described synthetically, having been made in exactly the procedure given for escaline, except that the reduction of the nitrile was not done by catalytic hydrogenation but rather by sodium borohydride in the presence of cobalt chloride. It has been shown to be an effective serotonin agonist, and may warrant human experimentation. The serotonin activity suggests that it might be active at the same levels found for proscaline.
[2]
Shulgin A, Manning T, Daley PF (2011). "#91. Mescaline". The Shulgin Index, Volume One: Psychedelic Phenethylamines and Related Compounds. Vol. 1. Berkeley, CA: Transform Press. pp. 212–225. ISBN 978-0-9630096-3-0. OCLC 709667010. Mescaline [...] Homologues and Analogues [...] 3-: MeO. 4-: BzO. 5-: MeO. Other: --. Name: BZ. CAS #: [2176-16-1]. Ref: (20,26). [...] (20) The octanol-water partition coefficient served as a predictor of human psychedelic potency (Nichols et al., 1977). [...] (26) B and Bz are more potent than mescaline in contracting sheep umbilical artery strips (Nichols and Dyer, 1997). Note that the code BZ is also applied to 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate, a synthetic tropane deleriant developed as a military incapacitating agent.
[3]
Trachsel D, Lehmann D, Enzensperger C (2013). Phenethylamine: von der Struktur zur Funktion [Phenethylamines: From Structure to Function]. Nachtschatten-Science (in German) (1 ed.). Solothurn: Nachtschatten-Verlag. pp. 705, 717, 736. ISBN 978-3-03788-700-4. OCLC 858805226. Retrieved 31 January 2025. Tabelle 1. Übersicht Homo-Scaline: 4-Alkoxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine. [...] Nr.: 61. Name: BZ; Benscalin^e). R: [...]. M.U.: ? Dosis: ?. Dauer: ?. [...] Die Substanz Benzscalin (BZ; 61) [69, 82] wurde bis anhin im Menschen offiziell nicht evaluiert. Jedoch wuide diese Substanz von der Gesellschaft für chemische Industrie in Basel im Jahre 1931 patentiert und sollte zu therapeutischen Zwecken Verwendung finden [82]. Der Fakt, dass sein Amphetamin- oder 3C-Gegenstück 3C-BZ (100) seine Aktivität im Menschen mit einer großen Unsicherheit bezüglich der Dosis zeigte (25-200mg; n=10) [19] veranlasste bis anhin nicht dazu, weitere Untersuchungen am BZ (61) zu tätigen. Vielleicht trägt hier der genetische Polymorphismus zu einem stark unterschiedlich ausgeprägten Metabolismus der Benzylgruppe bei. Wäre die Substanz 3C-BZ (100) eine potente, klar definierte Substanz gewesen, so ließen sich dutzende neue aktive Verbindungen herstellen [19] und man könnte mit großen und kleinen sowie elektronenziehenden und -stoßenden Gruppen am Aromaten die Wirkung modulieren. Die Substanz Phescalin (PH; 60) wurde bis anhin nicht beschrieben; im Falle interessanter pharmakologischen Eigenschaften ließe sich auch hier der Einfluss diverser Substituenten am Phenoxyring prüfen. Große, Iipophile Substituenten in der 4-Position haben bei den 2,4,5-trisubstituierten Phenylalkylaminen zu 5-HT2A-Rezcptorantagonisten geführt. Dies könnte auch hier der Fall sein, das wurde jedoch bis anhin nicht abgeklärt.
[4]
Kolaczynska KE, Luethi D, Trachsel D, Hoener MC, Liechti ME (2021). "Receptor Interaction Profiles of 4-Alkoxy-3,5-Dimethoxy-Phenethylamines (Mescaline Derivatives) and Related Amphetamines". Front Pharmacol. 12 794254. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.794254. PMC 8865417. PMID 35222010. The most promising modifications resulting in increased affinity at the 5-HT2A receptor were 4-trifluoromethoxy (TFM, 13), 4-methallyloxy (MAL, 32), and 4-benzyloxy (BZ, 33) substituents, resulting in 17- to 63-fold higher affinities. The aforementioned derivatives except for 33 are known to be active in humans and show up to 9-fold higher potency when compared to 5 (Shulgin and Shulgin 1991; Trachsel 2002; Trachsel 2003; Trachsel et al., 2013). Since the amphetamine homolog 3C-BZ induces psychedelic effects similar to LSD (3) or TMA (6) (Shulgin and Shulgin 1991), BZ (33) may induce psychedelic effects as well, based on its similar structure and high binding affinity at the 5-HT2A receptor. [...] The derivatives with high 5-HT2A receptor affinities (Ki < 1,000 nM), such as TFM (13), MAL (32), and BZ (33), also displayed high activation potency (EC50 in the range of 27–280 nM). Structures 13, and 33 were found to be partial agonists (efficacy < 85%) and 32 had an activation efficacy of 85%, suggesting full agonist properties. In accordance to these in vitro findings, potent psychedelic effects have been described for TFM (13) and MAL (32) (Shulgin and Shulgin 1991; Trachsel et al., 2013), suggesting 33 to be potentially psychedelic in humans.
[5]
Alexander T. Shulgin, Ann Shulgin (1991). "#21 3C-BZ 4-BENZYLOXY-3,5-DIMETHOXYAMPHETAMINE". PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1st ed.). Berkeley, CA: Transform Press. pp. 507–509. ISBN 978-0-9630096-0-9. OCLC 25627628. DOSAGE: 25 - 200 mg. DURATION: 18 - 24 h. [...] (with 150 mg) This is in every way identical to 100 micrograms of LSD. (with 180 mg) I can compare this directly to TMA which was the material I took last week. Many similarities, but this is unquestionably more intense than the TMA was at 200 milligrams. It is hard to separate the degree of impact that this drug has, from the simple fact that it lasts forever, and I was getting physically tired but I couldn't sleep. There is some amphetamine-like component, more than with TMA. [...] EXTENSIONS AND COMMENTARY: Two points are worthy of commentary; the potency and the promise of 3C-BZ. As to potency, there is such uncertainty as to the effective dose, that it is for all intents and purposes impossible to predict just what dose should be considered for a person's first time with this. The choice of quotations was made with the intention of giving a picture of this scatter. A total of ten subjects have explored this compound, and the very broad range given above, 25 to 200 milligrams, reflects the degree of variation that has been encountered. [...]
[6]
"Hyperlab new compounds". Hyperlab. 29 September 2014.
[7]
"Controlled Drugs and Substances Act". Department of Justice Canada. Retrieved 19 January 2026.