Four types of cannabimimetic indazole and indole derivatives, ADB-BINACA, AB-FUBICA, ADB-FUBICA, and AB-BICA, identified as new psychoactive substances

Abstract

We identified four cannabimimetic indazole and indole derivatives in new illegal psychoactive substances seized from a clandestine laboratory in China. These four derivatives included N-(1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-benzyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (ADB-BINACA, 1), N-(1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (AB-FUBICA, 2), N-(1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (ADB-FUBICA, 3), and N-(1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-benzyl-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (AB-BICA, 4). These compounds were identified by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. No chemical or pharmacological data about compound 4 has appeared until now, making this the first report on this compound. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 have previously been reported to have a high affinity for cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, but this is the first report of their presence in illegal products.