2C-T-21

2C-T-21, also known as 4--2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It is taken orally.
2C-T-21 was first described in the scientific literature by Alexander Shulgin and colleagues in 1991. Shortly after this, Shulgin described 2C-T-21 in greater detail in his 1991 book PiHKAL. The drug has been encountered as a novel designer drug.

Use and effects

In his book PiHKAL, Alexander Shulgin lists the dose range as 8 to 12mg orally and its duration as 7 to 10hours. Its onset is described as 15minutes to 1hour and peak effects occur after 1 to 2hours. The effects of 2C-T-21 have been described.

Toxicity

On March 9, 2004, a 22-year-old quadriplegic man named James Edwards Downs in St. Francisville, Louisiana, consumed an unknown dose of 2C-T-21 by sticking his tongue into a vial of powder he had purchased online. He developed a temperature of,News Releases, 07/22/04"> had a tonic-clonic seizure, and slipped into a coma. Four days later, on March 13, Downs died at Lane Memorial Hospital in Zachary, LA.
This death became part of a two-year DEA investigation called Operation Web Tryp which was launched in 2002. On July 22, 2004, the owners of American Chemical Supply were arrested on federal charges relating to distribution of controlled substance analogues and the death of James Edwards Downs. Little is known about the toxicity of 2C-T-21 beyond this incident.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

2C-T-21 shows high affinity for the serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor. It produces the head-twitch response, a behavioral proxy of psychedelic-like effects, in rodents.

Chemistry

Synthesis

The chemical synthesis of 2C-T-21 has been described.

Analogues

Analogues of 2C-T-21 include 2C-T-2, 2C-T-21.5, and 2C-T-22, among others.

History

2C-T-21 was first described in the scientific literature by Alexander Shulgin and colleagues in a journal article in 1991. Shortly thereafter, it was described in greater detail by Shulgin in his 1991 book PiHKAL. The potential applications of 2C-T-21 in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy were explored by Myron Stolaroff. The drug was encountered as a novel designer drug online in 2014 and in the Netherlands in 2019.

Society and culture

Legal status

Canada

As of October 31, 2016, 2C-T-21 is a controlled substance in Canada.

United States

2C-T-21 is unscheduled and uncontrolled in the United States, but possession and sales of 2C-T-21 would probably be prosecuted under the Federal Analog Act because of its structural similarities to 2C-T-7 and its known potential to cause death. In the wake of Operation Web Tryp in July 2004, at least one distributor faced charges as a consequence of the death of James Downs from 2C-T-21 overdose.