3-Chlorocathinone

3-Chlorocathinone is a psychostimulant drug of the cathinone family. It is the analogue of the antidepressant and norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion in which the N-tert-butyl group has been removed. The drug is also the analogue of the stimulant 3-chloromethcathinone in which the N-methyl group has been removed.
3-CC is a potent serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent. Its values for induction of monoamine release are 64nM for dopamine, 105nM for norepinephrine, and 567nM for serotonin in rat brain synaptosomes. Hence, 3-CC shows almost 10-fold preference for induction of dopamine release over serotonin release and around 1.5-fold preference for induction of dopamine release over norepinephrine release.
The drug was encountered as a novel designer and recreational drug by 2020.