Description
Nitromethaqualone Powder
Nitromethaqualone () is a crystalline powder and a chemical analogue of methaqualone (the active ingredient in Quaaludes). Classified as a quinazolinone derivative, it functions as a potent central nervous system (CNS) depressant with strong sedative and hypnotic properties.
Key Chemical & Physical Properties
- Molecular Formula: C₁₆H₁₃N₃O₄
- Molecular Weight: 311.29 g/mol
- IUPAC Name: 3-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-2-methylquinazolin-4-one
- Appearance: White powder
- Purity: above 98.5%
- Melting Point: 135–137 °C
Potency and Effects
Nitromethaqualone is significantly more potent than its parent compound, methaqualone—estimated to be roughly 10 times more powerful . Due to this high potency, effective quantities required for pharmacological activity are considerably smaller than those of related compounds. It mirrors the effects of older sedatives by causing profound muscle relaxation, drowsiness, and slowed physical and mental responses.
Toxicity and Health Risks
Although it was briefly introduced to the European pharmaceutical market under trade names like Parnox in the 1960s, it was quickly withdrawn and never fully developed due to severe safety issues:
- Mutagenic & Carcinogenic Risk: During metabolism, the human body reduces the compound’s aromatic nitro group into an aniline derivative. This specific metabolite has been proven to be a mutagen, capable of damaging DNA and potentially triggering cancerous cell mutations.
- Severe Interactions: Like other quinazolinones, its dangerous effects are multiplied exponentially when combined with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants, drastically elevating the risk of coma, respiratory depression, or fatal overdose.
Legal Status and Availability
Nitromethaqualone is not approved for human medical use anywhere in the world. Today, its production is heavily restricted, and it is primarily manufactured by global biochemical suppliers (such as Cayman Chemical or MedChemExpress) strictly as an analytical reference standard for laboratory research, forensic toxicology testing, and academic study.
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