4-Fluoroephedrine (4-FEP) is a "novel psychoactive substance" and substituted β-hydroxyamphetamine derivative related to ephedrine.
Pharmacology Similarly to other amphetamines, 4-fluoroephedrine acts as a monoamine reuptake inhibitor and monoamine releasing agent. It specifically acts as a selective norepinephrine releasing agent. In contrast to many other amphetamines, but similarly to most cathinones, 4-fluoroephedrine lacks affinity for the human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (hTAAR1).
Chemistry 4-Fluoroephedrine, also known as 4-fluoro-β-hydroxy-N-methylamphetamine, is a substituted phenethylamine, amphetamine, and β-hydroxyamphetamine derivative. It is the 4-fluoro analogue of ephedrine. The synthesis of 4-fluoroephedrine has been described. It can serve as a precursor in the synthesis of 4-fluoromethamphetamine (4-FMA). The predicted log P (XLogP3) of 4-fluoroephedrine is 1.0. For comparison, the predicted log P of ephedrine is 0.9.
History 4-Fluoroephedrine was first described in the scientific literature by 1991. The next mention of it in the literature was in 2013, when it was identified as a "novel psychoactive substance". The pharmacology of 4-fluoroephedrine was characterized in 2015.
Other drugs 4-Fluoroephedrine is known to be a metabolite of 4-fluoromethcathinone (4-FMC; flephedrone).
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