BK-2C-B (also known as as 2-amino-2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone) is the beta-ketone analogue of phenethylamine, 2C-B. BK-2C-B’s creation was inspired by BK-MDMA. BK-2C-B is known to have psychedelic effects and is related to 2C-B on a structural level.
Compared to its structural analog 2C-B, its effects are often described as being considerably more stimulating and less psychedelic with a significantly longer duration.
2-Amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one (bk-2C-B) has been recently offered for purchase by a variety of Internet retailers. This substance may be considered a cathinone analogue of the phenethylamine 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-amine (2C-B) which suggests that it may have psychoactive effects in humans.
A test purchase of bk-2C-B was carried out and its identity was confirmed by a range of analytical techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gas and liquid chromatography, and high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Confirmation was also obtained from the synthesis of bk-2C-B based on the implementation of the Delépine reaction in which the α-brominated intermediate was reacted with hexamethylenetetramine to afford the primary amine.
Analysis of underivatized bk-2C-B by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that there was potential for artificial formation of 1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanone and a pyrazine dimer, these substances were not detected when employing liquid chromatographic analysis.
Ion chromatography and X-ray crystallography analysis confirmed that the purchased bk-2C-B consisted of a hydrochloride and hydrobromide salt mixture, which indicated that it might have been prepared by the hexamethylenetetramine route followed by hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of the quaternary ammonium salt.
X-ray crystallography also revealed that the purchased (mixed HCl/HBr salt) and synthesized bk-2C-B (HCl salt) exists as polymorphs.
