5-MAPB

1-(1-benzofuran-5-yl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine

Overview

5-MAPB belongs to Entactogens/Empathogens / Phenethylamines.

Key safety note: 5-MAPB carries the serotonergic risks of an MDMA-like releaser: hyperthermia, serotonin toxicity (especially combined with other serotonergic drugs) and hyponatraemia (dangerously low blood sodium from drinking too much plain water).[2][4]
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.
  • An MDMA-like entactogen: euphoria, emotional warmth, empathy and sociability with stimulant energy. Often described as one of the closest analogues to MDMA in character.
  • Frequently reported as somewhat less stimulating and 'pushy' than MDMA while keeping the core entactogenic warmth.
  • Long-lasting (≈5–8 hours), with a correspondingly drawn-out comedown and after-effects.
  • Common unwanted effects mirror MDMA: jaw tension, raised heart rate and body temperature, anxiety and next-day fatigue.
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. Not a recommendation. 5-MAPB has never been studied in controlled human trials, so these are only commonly cited community ranges. It is long-lasting and, like MDMA, carries serotonin-toxicity, hyponatraemia and (via 5-HT2B) cardiotoxicity risks, which make redosing especially dangerous. Doses refer to the freebase-equivalent, because the hydrochloride salt weighs more per mole, a given mass of salt delivers less active compound than the same mass of freebase.

Dose ranges

Threshold

≈20 mg

Light

≈40–60 mg

Common

≈60–80 mg

Strong

≈80–100 mg

Duration

onset

≈20–60 min

peak

≈2–4 h

total

≈5–8 h

Chemical & Physical Properties
FormulaC12H15NO
Molar mass189.25 g/mol
StateSolid (usually the hydrochloride salt, the salt weighs ~19% more per mole than the free base)
Melting pointNot reported
Boiling pointNot reported
DensityNot reported
Vapor pressureNot reported
pKaNot reported
LogP2.6 (predicted, XLogP3)
SolubilityNot reported
Refractive indexNot reported
Identifiers & Synonyms
CAS1354631-77-8
CAS (enantiomer)
PubChem CID102336592
InChIKeyZOVRTIPCNFERHY-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChIInChI=1S/C12H15NO/c1-9(13-2)7-10-3-4-12-11(8-10)5-6-14-12/h3-6,8-9,13H,7H2,1-2H3
SMILESCC(CC1=CC2=C(C=C1)OC=C2)NC

Synonyms

  • 5-MAPB
  • 5-(2-Methylaminopropyl)benzofuran
  • 1-(Benzofuran-5-yl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine
Pharmacodynamics & Biochemistry

5-MAPB (5-(2-methylaminopropyl)benzofuran) is the N-methyl homologue of 5-APB and the benzofuran analogue of MDMA (as 5-APB is to MDA). It acts as a serotonin–noradrenaline–dopamine releasing agent, with roughly balanced, potent release of all three monoamines (release EC50 ≈64 nM serotonin, ≈24 nM noradrenaline, ≈41 nM dopamine in rat brain synaptosomes), producing MDMA-like entactogenic and stimulant effects. It is also a direct serotonin-receptor agonist: a partial agonist at 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C and, unlike MDMA, a potent agonist of the 5-HT1B receptor. Its partial 5-HT2B agonism is a specific cardiac-safety concern, since chronic 5-HT2B activation drives heart-valve disease (as seen with fenfluramine and heavy MDMA use). It has been characterised as, in some assessments, the MDMA analogue whose effects come closest to MDMA itself. Notably it does not form the α-methyldopamine metabolite implicated in MDMA neurotoxicity, but despite marketing as a 'less neurotoxic' MDMA alternative, it is a dose-dependent serotonergic (and possibly dopaminergic) neurotoxin in rodents, so that marketing claim is not established.

Biological targets

  • SERT
  • NET
  • DAT
  • 5-HT2B
  • 5-HT2C
  • 5-HT2A
  • 5-HT1B

Binding & functional measurements

TargetMeasurementSpecies
Serotonin transporterEC50 64 ± 7.0 nM
Emax 103%		Rat
Noradrenaline transporterEC50 24 ± 3.0 nM
Emax 99%		Rat
Dopamine transporterEC50 41 ± 3.0 nM
Emax 103%		Rat
5-HT2BUnspecified Partial agonist (5-HT2B agonism = cardiotoxicity/valvulopathy risk)Human
5-HT2CUnspecified Partial agonistHuman
5-HT2AUnspecified Partial agonistHuman
5-HT1BUnspecified Potent agonist (distinct from MDMA)Human
Pharmacokinetics
BioavailabilityOral
TmaxNot well characterised (onset ≈20–60 min)
Half-lifeNot established in humans (duration ≈5–8 h)
VdNot reported
Protein bindingNot reported
MetabolismHepatic (rat metabolites include 5-APB and 3-carboxymethyl-4-hydroxymethamphetamine)
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

5-MAPB carries the serotonergic risks of an MDMA-like releaser: hyperthermia, serotonin toxicity (especially combined with other serotonergic drugs) and hyponatraemia (dangerously low blood sodium from drinking too much plain water). Its long duration (≈5–8 h) encourages redosing and overexertion. It was marketed as a 'less- or non-neurotoxic' MDMA alternative, but rodent studies show dose-dependent serotonergic (and possibly dopaminergic) neurotoxicity similar to MDMA, so that claim is unproven and must not be relied on. Its partial 5-HT2B agonism raises the same valvulopathy concern as other benzofuran entactogens with repeated use. It has never been tested in controlled human trials and its safety margin is unknown. Missing data must never be read as evidence of safety.[2][4]

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

MAOIs Serotonin toxicity, potentially life-threatening.[2]
SSRIs, SNRIs, Other serotonergic drugs Serotonin-toxicity risk, other releasers included.[2]
Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine) Additive cardiovascular strain.[2]
Excess plain water (without electrolytes) Excess plain water without electrolytes carries a hyponatraemia risk, as with MDMA.[2]

Contraindications

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension or arrhythmia[3]
Pre-existing heart-valve disease 5-HT2B-mediated valvulopathy risk.[3]
Concurrent MAOI, SSRI/SNRI or other serotonergic medication concurrent MAOIs or serotonergic medication.[2]
Personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Usage & Context
  • First encountered as a novel designer drug in 2013 and described in the scientific literature in 2014. Sold online as a 'research chemical' and MDMA substitute, often alongside 5-APB/6-APB ('Benzo Fury').
  • Later patented (by Tactogen) as a candidate therapeutic entactogen.
Sources & Evidence

Further Information