3-MeO-PCE

N-ethyl-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)cyclohexan-1-amine

Overview

3-MeO-PCE belongs to Dissociatives / Arylcyclohexylamines.

Key safety note: 3-MeO-PCE is a potent dissociative that is also markedly stimulating (it inhibits the serotonin and dopamine transporters), and its standout hazard is a notably higher risk of mania, delusions and psychosis than other dissociatives: particularly at high doses, over consecutive days, or combined with other drugs.[3][5]
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.
  • Strongly stimulating dissociation: unusually energetic and 'speedy' for a dissociative, with euphoria, stimulation and enhanced sensory input at lower doses.
  • Dose-dependent dissociation: depersonalisation, derealisation, distorted perception of time and space, progressing to loss of motor control, internal hallucinations and a dissociative 'hole' with amnesia at high doses.
  • An elevated tendency toward anxiety, confusion, mania, delusions and psychosis, especially at high or repeated doses.
  • Long-lasting, with a drawn-out after-effects phase (hours up to roughly two days).
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, Insufflated. Not a recommendation. 3-MeO-PCE has never been studied in controlled human trials, so these are only commonly cited community ranges. It is potent (active in the milligram range) and must be dosed with an accurate milligram scale or volumetric solution, never eyeballed. Because it is stimulating, long-lasting and strongly habit-forming, redosing, high doses, use on consecutive days and combining it with other drugs sharply raise the risk of mania and psychosis. Insufflation is more potent and faster than oral.

Dose ranges

Threshold

≈2 mg (oral)

Light

≈4–8 mg (oral)

Common

≈8–15 mg (oral)

Strong

≈15–25 mg (oral)

Duration

onset

≈30–90 min (oral), ≈3–15 min (insufflated)

peak

≈2–3 h (oral)

total

≈4–8 h (oral), after-effects up to ~48 h

Chemical & Physical Properties
FormulaC15H23NO
Molar mass233.35 g/mol
StateSolid (usually the hydrochloride salt)
Melting pointNot reported
Boiling pointNot reported
DensityNot reported
Vapor pressureNot reported
pKaNot reported
LogP3.2 (predicted, XLogP3)
SolubilityNot reported
Refractive indexNot reported
Identifiers & Synonyms
CAS1364933-80-1
CAS (enantiomer)
PubChem CID57461569
InChIKeyOFGOOZLOGUNDFS-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChIInChI=1S/C15H23NO/c1-3-16-15(10-5-4-6-11-15)13-8-7-9-14(12-13)17-2/h7-9,12,16H,3-6,10-11H2,1-2H3
SMILESCCNC1(CCCCC1)C2=CC(=CC=C2)OC

Synonyms

  • 3-MeO-PCE
  • Methoxieticyclidine
  • 3-Methoxyeticyclidine
Pharmacodynamics & Biochemistry

3-MeO-PCE (methoxieticyclidine) is an arylcyclohexylamine dissociative: the 3-methoxy analogue of eticyclidine (PCE) and the N-ethyl counterpart of 3-MeO-PCP. Like the rest of the PCP/ketamine family it is a high-affinity uncompetitive NMDA-receptor antagonist (Kᵢ ≈61 nM), which produces the dissociative anaesthesia, analgesia and depersonalisation shared by the class. Distinctively, it is also a monoamine-transporter inhibitor: moderate blockade of the serotonin transporter (SERT Kᵢ ≈115 nM) and weaker dopamine-transporter blockade (DAT Kᵢ ≈743 nM), with σ2 (Kᵢ ≈525 nM) and weak σ1 (Kᵢ ≈4,519 nM) affinity and no measurable noradrenaline-transporter activity. This dopaminergic/serotonergic component makes 3-MeO-PCE unusually stimulating for a dissociative. Unlike 3-HO-PCP it has no meaningful opioid-receptor activity, so it does not carry opioid-type respiratory-depression risk. However, its combined NMDA block plus monoamine-transporter stimulation is linked to a notably higher rate of mania, delusions and stimulant-type psychosis than other dissociatives, especially at high or repeated doses.

Biological targets

  • NMDA
  • SERT
  • DAT
  • Sigma-2

Binding & functional measurements

TargetMeasurementSpecies
NMDA receptorKi 61 nMRat
Serotonin transporterKi 115 nMHuman
DATKi 743 nMHuman
Sigma-2 receptorKi 525 nMRodent
Sigma-1 receptorKi 4,519 nMRodent
NETKi No activity (<50% inhibition at 10 µM)Human
Pharmacokinetics
BioavailabilityOral and insufflated (active by both routes)
TmaxOnset ≈30–90 min (oral), ≈3–15 min (insufflated)
Half-lifeNot established in humans (oral effects ≈4–8 h, after-effects up to ≈48 h)
VdNot reported
Protein bindingNot reported
MetabolismHepatic (presumed, by analogy with related arylcyclohexylamines)
ExcretionRenal (presumed)
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

3-MeO-PCE is a potent dissociative that is also markedly stimulating (it inhibits the serotonin and dopamine transporters), and its standout hazard is a notably higher risk of mania, delusions and psychosis than other dissociatives: particularly at high doses, over consecutive days, or combined with other drugs. It is reported to be strongly habit-forming (more so than ketamine, MXE or diphenidine), which together with its long duration and long after-effects encourages compulsive redosing, bingeing and sleeplessness. Like ketamine it can cause bladder and urinary-tract damage with repeated use, and, because it is active in the milligram range, it must be measured on an accurate scale and never eyeballed. Its serotonin-transporter activity adds a theoretical serotonin-toxicity risk when mixed with other serotonergic drugs, and heavy dissociation brings the usual dangers of falls, accidents and vomiting with a suppressed gag reflex. Unlike 3-HO-PCP it is not an opioid, so it lacks opioid overdose risk, but it has never been studied in humans and the absence of toxicity data must not be read as safety.[3][5]

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.
Interactions & Contraindications

Drug interactions

Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine) Strongly additive, as 3-MeO-PCE is already stimulating, sharply raising the risk of psychosis, agitation and cardiovascular strain.[5]
SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, Other serotonergic drugs Its serotonin-transporter blockade adds a serotonin-toxicity risk.[3]
Alcohol, Benzodiazepines, Opioids, GHB / GBL Additive sedation, impairment and blackout or aspiration risk (though 3-MeO-PCE itself is not an opioid).[5]
Other dissociatives (NMDA antagonists) Additive dissociation, with risk of unintended full anaesthesia and immobilisation.[5]

Contraindications

Personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder 3-MeO-PCE carries an elevated psychosis and mania risk.[5]
Concurrent MAOI, SSRI/SNRI or other serotonergic medication concurrent SSRIs, SNRIs or MAOIs.[3]
Pre-existing bladder or urinary-tract disease, or drug-induced cystitis dissociative uropathy risk with repeated use.[5]
Cardiovascular disease, hypertension or arrhythmia stimulant cardiovascular strain.[3]
Heavy use: high doses, consecutive days, or mixing with other drugs high doses, consecutive days, or combined with other drugs.[5]
Usage & Context
  • Sold online as a 'research chemical' / designer dissociative from the early 2010s, in the wake of methoxetamine (MXE) and the other methoxy-arylcyclohexylamines.
  • Flagged in October 2012 by the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs as an MXE-related analogue, leading to its control as a Class B drug.
Sources & Evidence

Further Information