3-Methylmethcathinone

3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), also known as metaphedrone, is a designer drug from the substituted cathinone family. 3-MMC is a monoamine transporter substrate that potently inhibits norepinephrine uptake and displays more pronounced dopaminergic activity relative to serotonergic activity, compared to mephedrone. Unlike some synthetic cathinones, 3-MMC has been evaluated in at least one large mammal study.

3-MMC is closely related in structure to the more commonly known substance mephedrone (4-MMC), and is also illegal in most countries that have banned mephedrone due to 3-MMC being a structural isomer of 4-MMC. However, 3-MMC has still appeared on the recreational drug market as an alternative to mephedrone, and was first identified being sold in Sweden in 2012.

History
3-MMC was first encountered in Sweden in 2012, it was created as a designer drug following the control in many countries of the related compound mephedrone. It was sold as a research chemical, usually in powdered form. There is no known or reported medical use of 3-MMC, it is primarily used recreationally. Some fatal intoxications have been reported, most involving multiple drugs of abuse.

Structure
3-Methylmethcathinone's IUPAC name is 2-(methylamino)-1-(3-methylphenyl)propan-1-one). It is one of many synthetic cathinones, designer drugs related to amphetamines. It is a structural isomer of mephedrone, and controlled as such. It can also be seen as the β-keto analog of 3-methylmethamphetamine

3-MMC contains a chiral center at the C-2 carbon. Therefore two enantiomers exist, the R and S enantiomer. It is assumed that the S form is more potent due to its similarity to cathinone, but further research is needed to confirm this.

Synthesis
There are several ways to synthesize 3-MMC. One route adapted from Power et al is to add ethylmagnesium bromide to 3-methylbenzaldehyde (I) to form the product 1-(3-methylphenyl)-1-propanol (II). This product is then oxidized by pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC) on silica gel to the ketone (III) and brominated with hydrobromic acid to yield the bromoketone (IV). This bromoketone is reacted with ethanolic methylamine to produce the 3-MMC free base (V), which can be converted to the hydrochloride salt (VI) by addition of ethereal hydrogen chloride (VI).

Pharmacology
3-MMC potently inhibits the norepinephrine (NET), serotonin (SERT) and dopamine (DAT) transporters. It inhibits NET and DAT more potently than SERT, which suggests that it has stronger amphetamine-like stimulant properties compared to mephedrone.

Non-human studies
The oral bioavailability of 3-methylmethcathinone was determined at 7% in one pig study, with peak blood concentrations (Tmax) attained within 5 to 10 minutes, and a relatively short half-life of 50 minutes. Concentration in blood plasma dropped below detectability 24 hours after oral ingestion. Decreased feeding behavior resulted in weight loss for some.

Metabolism
The metabolic pathway of 3-MMC is not well described. Known metabolites include 3-methylephedrine and 3-methylnorephedrine. A possible metabolic pathway is β-keto-reduction followed by N-demethylation.

3-MMC also binds to serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C receptors and adrenergic α1A and α2A receptors.

Toxicity
The dose-response curve of 3-methylmethcathinone in humans is not well described in the literature, likely due to limited academic interest to date. Fatalities have been reported over a wide range of blood concentrations, from 249 and 1600 ng/mL. Toxicokinetics are thought to be similar to those for mephedrone, however.

Effects
As with mephedrone, users of 3-MMC typically report effects such as an elevated mood, pleasant body sensations, feelings of love and empathy, euphoria, greater appreciation of music, heightened libido, and increased confidence and sociability.

Adverse effects range from aggression, dry mouth, and jaw clenching, to more serious effects such as hyponatremia, seizures, hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis.

Abuse
Due to its short duration and dopaminergic effects, 3-MMC is addictive and commonly abused. Repeated dosing within a sitting is typical, sometimes using different routes. Common self-reported doses range from 50 to 150 mg, up to single 500 mg doses. Intranasal administration, or snorting, is the most common route of administration, followed by oral administration. It can also be administered rectally and injected.

Users may dose repeatedly in order to extend the drugs duration, leading to 0.5—2 gram "sessions" that can span an evening. Single-dose effects last from 30 to 60 minutes, typically peaking around 10-minutes post-dose. In a questionnaire-based study of self-reported 3-MMC users in Slovenia, it was found that 88% of users insufflated the drug while 42% took it orally. The study did not find any instances of users injecting 3-MMC. Moreover, 26% of the users reported taking more than 1.5 grams of 3-MMC in a single sitting and over 50% reported having consuming more than 0.5 grams in a single sitting.

Available forms
3-Methylmethcathinone is commonly encountered as a white/off-white crystalline or pasty solid. It can be found sold in capsules. It is assumed to be a racemic mixture like mephedrone.

Legal status
In the United States, 3-MMC is illegal as a positional isomer of the controlled substance mephedrone It was explicitly designated as a controlled substance on 13 December 2023.

3-MMC is currently being developed as a medicine by the American biotech company MindMed. They have filed for a patent to use 3-MMC for problems such as social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and as an adjunct in couples therapy.

3-MMC is also undergoing clinical trials for its use in treating menstrual symptoms. A successful trial has been completed in the University of Maastricht. These efforts are led by the small Dutch company Period Pill. The company has filed for patent coverage in Canada, Mexico, Croatia, the United States, Morocco, Japan, Brazil, Poland, Hungary, and Korea.

Since October 2015, 3-MMC is a controlled substance in China.

3-MMC is banned in the Czech Republic.

3-MMC was not banned in 2016 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) after a critical review. However, following its subsequent abuse beginning in 2019, this decision was overturned and it was placed into schedule II of the 1971 convention| in March 2023.

Effective 28 October 2021, 3-MMC has been scheduled under the Dutch Opium Law and is therefore illegal in the Netherlands.

3-MMC was given narcotic status in India on 8 February 2024.