2C-tBu

2C-tBu
Clinical data
Other names2,5-Dimethoxy-4-tert-butylphenethylamine; 4-tert-Butyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; 2C-TBU; 2C-t-Bu
Drug classSerotonin receptor agonist; Serotonergic psychedelic; Hallucinogen
Identifiers
  • 2-(4-tert-butyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC14H23NO2
Molar mass237.343 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CC(C)(C)C1=C(C=C(C(=C1)OC)CCN)OC
  • InChI=1S/C14H23NO2/c1-14(2,3)11-9-12(16-4)10(6-7-15)8-13(11)17-5/h8-9H,6-7,15H2,1-5H3
  • Key:MHNFTGKRRUDUST-UHFFFAOYSA-N

2C-tBu, or 2C-t-Bu, also known as 4-tert-butyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, is a serotonin receptor agonist and putative serotonergic psychedelic of the phenethylamine and 2C families.

It is a potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist (Ki = 9.9–35 nM, EC50Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration = 4.2 nM) and also binds to the serotonin 5-HT2C receptor (Ki = 7–24 nM). The drug produces a robust head-twitch response, a behavioral proxy of psychedelic effects, in rodents. It also produces hyperlocomotion in rodents.

The active dosage in humans is >5 mg per Daniel Trachsel and its duration is unknown. Initial tests with 7 mg and with 10 mg (as 5 mg plus 5 mg 2 hours apart) produced no psychedelic effects in humans, but instead induced a pronounced and long-lasting tiredness.

It was hypothesized that 2C-tBu might be a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonist and might thereby be hypnotic, but it was instead shown to be an agonist in subsequent studies.