4-Benzylpiperidine is a drug and research chemical used in scientific studies. It has been encountered as a designer drug.
4-Benzylpiperidine acts as a monoamine releasing agent with 20- to 48-fold selectivity for releasing dopamine versus serotonin. It is most efficacious as a releaser of norepinephrine, with an EC<sub>50</sub> of 109nM (DA), 41.4nM (NE), and 5,246nM (5-HT).
It also functions as a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) ( = 130üM for and 750üM for ).
The drug has a fast onset of action and a short duration.
4-Cyanopyridine can be reacted with toluene to give 4-benzylpyridine. Catalytic hydrogenation of the pyridine ring then completes the synthesis.
RMI-10608 is a derivative of 4-benzylpiperidine and analog of haloperidol that was discovered to have potential use in treating psychosis and preventing brain damage by virtue of its NMDA antagonist pharmacology.