Arylcyclohexamines (Ketamine, Phencyclidine, and Analogues)

Abstract

Arylcyclohexamines (also known as arylcyclohexylamines) are a group of compounds that contain a cyclohexamine unit with an aryl moiety, typically a phenyl ring, attached to the same atom to which the amine group is linked (see Fig. 1). They all exhibit dissociative effects due to their antagonism of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and many have been studied as alternatives to traditional anesthetic agents but subsequently abused recreationally in pursuit of these same effects. The most well-characterized arylcyclohexamines are phencyclidine ((1-(1-phencyclohexyl) piperidine; PCP)), ketamine, and, of the novel analogues, methoxetamine.