N-Desethylisotonitazene

N-Desethylisotonitazene (norisotonitazene) is a benzimidazole opioid with potent analgesic effects which has been sold as a designer drug. It was first identified in 2023 as an active metabolite of the closely related compound isotonitazene, and was found to have similar potency. It is one of the strongest benzimidazole opioids discovered, with an analgesic strength 20 times stronger than fentanyl.

Routes of
administrationOral, intransal, vaporized

Legal status

• DE: Anlage II (Authorized trade only, not prescriptible)
• UK: Under Psychoactive Substances Act

CAS Number

• 2732926-24-6

PubChem CID

• 162623899

Quick facts Clinical data, Routes ofadministration ...

N-Desethylisotonitazene

Clinical data
Routes of administration	Oral, intransal, vaporized
Legal status
Legal status	DE: Anlage II (Authorized trade only, not prescriptible) UK: Under Psychoactive Substances Act
Identifiers
IUPAC name N-Ethyl-2-[5-nitro-2-[(4-propoxyphenyl)methyl]benzimidazol-1-yl]ethanamine
CAS Number	2732926-24-6
PubChem CID	162623899
UNII	T7LMM4S8UR
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C21H26N4O3
Molar mass	382.464 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES CCNCCN1C2=C(C=C(C=C2)[N+](=O)[O-])N=C1CC3=CC=C(C=C3)OC(C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C21H26N4O3/c1-4-22-11-12-24-20-10-7-17(25(26)27)14-19(20)23-21(24)13-16-5-8-18(9-6-16)28-15(2)3/h5-10,14-15,22H,4,11-13H2,1-3H3 Key:HHBRZWRJZICFRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Close

Starting in 2023, it has become an increasingly widespread drug of abuse in its own right, linked to numerous overdose cases, and may be considered an analog of the schedule 1 drug metonitazene. In October 2023, the DEA published an intent to temporarily schedule etonitazepipne and N-desethylisotonitazene. As of April 2024, it is not yet controlled in the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}