3-Methylfentanyl
3-Methylfentanyl (3-MF, mefentanyl) is an opioid analgesic that is an analog of fentanyl. 3-Methylfentanyl is one of the most potent opioids, estimated to be between 400 and 6000 times stronger than morphine,[1] depending on which isomer is used (with the cis isomers being the more potent ones).[2][3]
Clinical data
3-methylfentanyl, Mefentanyl
- AU: Unscheduled
- BR: Class F1 (Prohibited narcotics)
- CA: Schedule I
- DE: Anlage I (Authorized scientific use only)
- NZ: Unscheduled
- UK: Class A
- US: Schedule I
- UN: Unscheduled
C23H30N2O
350.506 g·mol−1
Use as chemical weapon[edit]
3-Methylfentanyl was also reported by media as the identity of the anaesthetic "gas" Kolokol-1 delivered as an aerosol[12] during the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002 in which many hostages died from accidental overdoses, 3-methylfentanyl was later ruled out as the primary agent used. The opiate antidote naloxone was on-hand to treat the victims of the crisis, but, whether due to their incarceration, lack of food, or water, or sleep, or due to the novel nature of the still-unconfirmed compound used, acute symptoms continued to develop, resulting in many fatalities despite the administration of naloxone.
Synthesis[edit]
A number of methods for synthesis have been published. The most recent is probably the method posted by the Serbian chemical society (2004).[13]
There is another method, though, for constructing the N-Benzyl-3-methyl-4-piperidone in a 2-stage Michael reaction, followed by Dieckmann cyclization as per usual.