Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 18, 2026

Flunitazene

Flunitazene (Fluonitazene) is a benzimidazole derivative with opioid effects, first developed in the 1950s as part of the research that led to better-known compounds such as etonitazene. It is one of the least potent derivatives from this class to have appeared as a designer drug, with only around the same potency as morphine, but nevertheless has been sold since around 2020, and has been linked to numerous drug overdose cases.

Last revised
Jun 18, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
339 w
Citations
6
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Flunitazene
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
  • N,N-diethyl-2-[2-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-5-nitrobenzimidazol-1-yl]ethanamine
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
ChEBI
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC20H23FN4O2
Molar mass370.428 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CCN(CC)CCN1C2=C(C=C(C=C2)[N+](=O)[O-])N=C1CC3=CC=C(C=C3)F
  • InChI=1S/C20H23FN4O2/c1-3-23(4-2)11-12-24-19-10-9-17(25(26)27)14-18(19)22-20(24)13-15-5-7-16(21)8-6-15/h5-10,14H,3-4,11-13H2,1-2H3
  • Key:ZTWHIDCAGRMKTC-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Flunitazene (Fluonitazene) is a benzimidazole derivative with opioid effects, first developed in the 1950s as part of the research that led to better-known compounds such as etonitazene. It is one of the least potent derivatives from this class to have appeared as a designer drug, with only around the same potency as morphine, but nevertheless has been sold since around 2020, and has been linked to numerous drug overdose cases.123456

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Lamy FR, Daniulaityte R, Barratt MJ, Lokala U, Sheth A, Carlson RG (August 2021). ""Etazene, safer than heroin and fentanyl": Non-fentanyl novel synthetic opioid listings on one darknet market". Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 225 108790. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108790. PMID 34091156. S2CID 235362241.
  2. "A review of the evidence on the use and harms of 2-benzyl benzimidazole ('nitazene') and piperidine benzimidazolone ('brorphine-like') opioids" (PDF). UK: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. July 2022.
  3. Walton SE, Krotulski AJ, Logan BK (March 2022). "A Forward-Thinking Approach to Addressing the New Synthetic Opioid 2-Benzylbenzimidazole Nitazene Analogs by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (LC-QQQ-MS)". Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 46 (3): 221–231. doi:10.1093/jat/bkab117. PMC 8935987. PMID 34792157.
  4. Montanari E, Madeo G, Pichini S, Busardò FP, Carlier J (August 2022). "Acute Intoxications and Fatalities Associated With Benzimidazole Opioid (Nitazene Analog) Use: A Systematic Review". Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. 44 (4): 494–510. doi:10.1097/FTD.0000000000000970. PMID 35149665. S2CID 246776288.
  5. Schüller M, Lucic I, Leere Øiestad ÅM, Pedersen-Bjergaard S, Øiestad EL (September 2023). "High-throughput quantification of emerging nitazene benzimidazole opioid analogs by microextraction and UHPLC-MS/MS". Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 47 (9): 787–796. doi:10.1093/jat/bkad071. PMC 10714918. PMID 37700512.
  6. Balcaen M, Ventura M, Gil C, Luf A, Martins D, Cunha M, et al. (March 2023). "Challenges in Drug Surveillance: Strengthening the Analysis of New Psychoactive Substances by Harmonizing Drug Checking Services in Proficiency Testing". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 20 (5): 4628. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054628. PMC 10002093. PMID 36901637.