2C-E
2-(4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine
Overview
2C-E belongs to Psychedelics / Phenethylamines / 2C series.
Key safety note: 2C-E is one of the more potent and long-acting 2C psychedelics, and its effects can be intense and psychologically challenging, anxiety, fear, confusion and perceptual overwhelm, alongside sympathomimetic effects such as tachycardia, hypertension, mydriasis, nausea and a heavy body load.[2]
Effects
Subjective effects vary. What a substance feels like depends on dose, individual physiology,
mindset, and setting. The points below describe commonly reported effects, not guaranteed, uniform, or
desirable outcomes.
- Strong, immersive visual and perceptual changes, often more intense than milder 2C compounds
- Marked distortions in the experience of scenes and objects (described in PiHKAL as vivid, painterly transformations)
- Can be emotionally intense or challenging, with a pronounced body load
- Slow onset and long duration (8–12 h)
Dosing & duration
Harm-reduction note: These are commonly cited reference ranges, not a recommendation or a
“safe” dose. Potency, purity, body chemistry, tolerance, and drug combinations vary widely. Start
low, go slow, wait for full effects before redosing, and never assume an unknown product matches these
figures. Missing data is not evidence of safety.
Oral
Dose ranges
Oral
10–25 mg
Duration
onset
Slow (up to ~2 h)
total
8–12 h
Chemical & Physical Properties
| Formula | C12H19NO2 |
| Molar mass | 209.28 g/mol |
| State | Solid (usually the hydrochloride salt, white crystalline) |
| Melting point | unavailable: true. reason: Shulgin's PiHKAL synthesis describes the hydrochloride as lustrous white crystals but does not report a melting point, and no reliable experimental value was located. |
| Boiling point | Not reported |
| Density | Not reported |
| Vapor pressure | Not reported |
| pKa | Not reported |
| LogP | 2.4 (predicted, XLogP3) |
| Solubility | Not reported |
| Refractive index | Not reported |
Identifiers & Synonyms
| CAS | Not reported |
| CAS (enantiomer) | |
| PubChem CID | 24729233 |
| InChIKey | VDRGNAMREYBIHA-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| InChI | InChI=1S/C12H19NO2/c1-4-9-7-12(15-3)10(5-6-13)8-11(9)14-2/h7-8H,4-6,13H2,1-3H3 |
| SMILES | CCC1=CC(=C(C=C1OC)CCN)OC |
Synonyms
- 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylphenethylamine
- 4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine
- 2C-E
Pharmacodynamics & Biochemistry
Serotonergic phenethylamine psychedelic acting primarily as a 5-HT2A receptor agonist. Also a potent 5-HT2C agonist, with additional binding across several other serotonin (5-HT1) and adrenergic receptors. One of the more potent and long-acting members of the 2C series, often described as strongly and sometimes overwhelmingly psychedelic.
Biological targets
- 5-HT2A
- 5-HT2C
Binding & functional measurements
| Target | Measurement | Species |
|---|---|---|
| 5-HT2A receptor | Ki 11 ± 1.0 nM | Human |
| 5-HT2C receptor | Ki 100 ± 20 nM | Human |
| 5-HT2B receptor | Ki 25 nM | Human |
| 5-HT1D receptor | Ki 73 nM | Human |
| α2C-adrenoceptor | Ki 90 nM | Human |
| α2-adrenoceptor | Ki 100 ± 20 nM | Human |
| 5-HT1B receptor | Ki 253 nM | Human |
| α2B-adrenoceptor | Ki 306 nM | Human |
| 5-HT7 receptor | Ki 426 nM | Human |
| 5-HT1E receptor | Ki 626 nM | Human |
| 5-HT1A receptor | Ki 360 ± 40 nM | Human |
| M5 receptor | Ki 1,725 nM | Human |
| M3 muscarinic receptor | Ki 2,556 nM | Human |
| 5-HT6 receptor | Ki 2,971 nM | Human |
| D2 receptor | Ki 3,200 ± 1,000 nM | Human |
| D3 receptor | Ki 1,345 nM | Human |
| α1A-adrenoceptor | Ki 7,400 ± 2,800 nM | Human |
| TAAR1 | Ki 66 ± 9.0 nM | Rat |
| 5-HT2A receptor | EC50 6.9 nM Emax 83.5% | Human |
| 5-HT2B receptor | EC50 190 ± 40 nM Emax 66 ± 7% | Human |
| 5-HT2C receptor | EC50 18 ± 5.9 nM Emax 98 ± 16% | Human |
| TAAR1 | EC50 1,100 ± 200 nM Emax 64 ± 23% | Mouse |
| TAAR1 | Ki 1,200 ± 100 nM | Mouse |
| TAAR1 | EC50 180 ± 140 nM Emax 72 ± 13% | Rat |
Pharmacokinetics
| Bioavailability | Not reported |
| Tmax | Not reported |
| Half-life | Long |
| Vd | Not reported |
| Protein binding | Not reported |
| Metabolism | Hepatic |
| Excretion | Not reported |
Toxicology & Safety
Harm-reduction note: Toxicity and risk depend on dose, route, purity, combinations, setting, and individual
health factors. Missing harms should never be interpreted as evidence of safety.
Not reported
2C-E is one of the more potent and long-acting 2C psychedelics, and its effects can be intense and psychologically challenging, anxiety, fear, confusion and perceptual overwhelm, alongside sympathomimetic effects such as tachycardia, hypertension, mydriasis, nausea and a heavy body load. The long duration (8–12 h) can compound difficult experiences. Serious poisonings have occurred, especially at high doses or when potent 2C compounds are confused with one another. Risk rises with higher doses, hot or crowded settings, adulteration, and combination with stimulants or other serotonergic drugs. Formal human toxicity data are very limited, and limited literature must never be read as evidence of safety.[2]
Legal Status
Legal note: Legal status can change over time and may vary by country, region, formulation, analogue status,
prescription context, and enforcement practice. Always confirm with current official sources before relying on this section.
US: Schedule I. UK: Class A. DE: BtMG Anlage I
Interactions & Contraindications
Drug interactions
SSRIs, SNRIs, Lithium, Tramadol, Other serotonergic drugs Can add to serotonergic load and, in principle, raise the risk of serotonin toxicity.
MAOIs May intensify and prolong effects unpredictably, warranting particular caution.
Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine) Compound cardiovascular strain, anxiety, vasoconstriction and overheating risk.
Contraindications
Personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
Cardiovascular disease, hypertension or arrhythmia significant or uncontrolled disease or hypertension.
Concurrent MAOI, SSRI/SNRI or other serotonergic medication concurrent MAO inhibitors.
Hot, dehydrating environments (overheating risk) or heavy stimulant co-use.
No interactions or contraindications listed.
Usage & Context
- Research.
Sources & Evidence
- Shulgin A, Shulgin A (1991). PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story — entry #24 (2C-E)
- Gil-Martins E, Barbosa DJ, Borges F, et al. (2025). Toxicodynamic insights of 2C and NBOMe drugs - Is there abuse potential?. Toxicol Rep 14:101890.
PMID 39867514 · doi:10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.101890
- Ray TS (2010). Psychedelics and the human receptorome. PLoS One 5:e9019.
PMID 20126400 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009019
- Rickli A, Luethi D, Reinisch J, et al. (2015). Receptor interaction profiles of novel N-2-methoxybenzyl (NBOMe) derivatives of 2,5-dimethoxy-substituted phenethylamines (2C drugs). Neuropharmacology 99:546-53.
PMID 26318099 · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.08.034
- Simmler LD, Buchy D, Chaboz S, et al. (2016). In Vitro Characterization of Psychoactive Substances at Rat, Mouse, and Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 357:134-44.
PMID 26791601 · doi:10.1124/jpet.115.229765
- Pottie E, Cannaert A, Stove CP (2020). In vitro structure-activity relationship determination of 30 psychedelic new psychoactive substances by means of β-arrestin 2 recruitment to the serotonin 2A receptor. Arch Toxicol 94:3449-3460.
PMID 32627074 · doi:10.1007/s00204-020-02836-w
- Eshleman AJ, Forster MJ, Wolfrum KM, et al. (2014). Behavioral and neurochemical pharmacology of six psychoactive substituted phenethylamines: mouse locomotion, rat drug discrimination and in vitro receptor and transporter binding and function. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 231:875-88.
PMID 24142203 · doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3303-6
- Wikipedia: 2C-E (dosage, onset & duration) CC BY-SA 4.0