Thozalinone

Thozalinone (USAN) (brand name Stimsen; former developmental code name CL-39808) is a psychostimulant that has been used as an antidepressant in Europe. It has also been trialed as an anorectic. Thozalinone is described as a "dopaminergic stimulant", and likely acts via inducing the release of dopamine and to a minimal extent norepinephrine; similar to analogue pemoline, it is reportedly devoid of abuse potential unlike other dopaminergic psychostimulants.

Synthesis
[[File:Thozalinone synthesis.svg|center|500px|thumb|Synthesis:

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Sodium hydride is used as a strong base to abstract the alcohol proton in ethyl mandelate [774-40-3] (1); addition of the oxyanion to dimethylcyanamide [1467-79-4] gives the intermediate (2). Intramolecular cyclization then occurs giving Thozalinone (3).