The 4-methylaminorex / Pemoline connection

[RaverMadness]

I just noticed that 4-methylaminorex ("Ice") a schedule I drug, and pemoline (cylert, an ADD medication) are remarkably similar in structure.
Has anyone noticed if methylphenidate (Ritalin) is structurally similar to any evil designer drugs?

 

[Drug Dustbin]

Originally posted by *CrystalMeth Bunny*:
Has anyone noticed if methylphenidate (Ritalin) is structurally similar to any evil designer drugs?
If you look the structure of methylphenidate, you can see that it's a basic amphetamine skeleton with couple of additions. There is two carbons between the basic nitrogen and benzene ring, as with amphetamine. It also has a substituent in alpha-carbon, as amphetamine. Amphetamine has methyl-group while methylphenidate has this piperidine-forming structure.
I have read that the reverse ester of methylphenidate, known as levophacetoperane is similar in action to Ritalin and only slightly less potent in humans. This drug is most likely also unscheduled.

 

[vodka314]

Isnt amphetamine with a methyl group somewhere on it make it methamphetamine?

 

[Drug Dustbin]

Originally posted by vodka314:
Isnt amphetamine with a methyl group somewhere on it make it methamphetamine?
If amphetamine has a methyl-group attached on the nitrogen, it's N-methylamphetamine aka methamphetamine. When you look the basic amphetamine skeleton you can see that it's beta-phenylethylamine with methyl group attached to the alpha-carbon. This is the methyl group I meant. The name amphetamine has been derived this way: Alpha-MethylPHenylEThylAMINE.
[ 01 February 2002: Message edited by: Drug Dustbin ]

 

[PhreeX]

Originally posted by Drug Dustbin:
If amphetamine has a methyl-group attached on the nitrogen, it's N-methylamphetamine aka methamphetamine. When you look the basic amphetamine skeleton you can see that it's beta-phenylethylamine with methyl group attached to the alpha-carbon. This is the methyl group I meant. The name amphetamine has been derived this way: Alpha-MethylPHenylEThylAMINE.
Man we could really use your talents and knowledge over at Other Drugs Underground... I invite youto join, I will personally approve you... mail me for the info! You can be a moderator in the chemistry forum or most any forum you wish man!

 

[fairnymph]

Just a note...even drugs that are very similar in structure and differ only by an atom or two can have widely different mechanisms of action. Small structural changes in chemistry can have enormous results in terms of reactivity and psychoactivity. Sometimes a small strucutural change results in only a small change in the nature of a molecule, but often this is NOT the case and it can be dangerous to make hypotheses about how such a molecule might function in the human body.

 

[Drug Dustbin]

Originally posted by PhreeX:

Man we could really use your talents and knowledge over at Other Drugs Underground... I invite youto join, I will personally approve you... mail me for the info! You can be a moderator in the chemistry forum or most any forum you wish man!
Intriguing offer, Phreex, indeed. I kindly decline this offer. I want do this without any commitments.

 

[AbraMontague]

Now I'm confused about who is being sarcastic here...