3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine synthesis of Bevantolol. DMPEA has some activity as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. DMPEA occurs naturally along with mescaline in various species of cacti such as San Pedro and Peruvian Torch. 3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine 3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (DMPEA) is a chemical compound of the phenethylamine class. It is an analogue of the major human neurotransmitter dopamine where the 3- and 4-position hydroxy groups have been replaced with methoxy groups. It is also closely related to mescaline which is 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine. One of the earliest syntheses of DMPEA (then referred to as "homoveratrylamine") was that of Pictet and Finkelstein, who made it in a multi-step sequence starting
Mescaline at the two meta positions with respect to the alkyl substituent, experiences a final methylation at the 4 carbon by a guaiacol-O-methyltransferase, which also operates by a SAM-dependent mechanism. This final methylation step results in the production of mescaline. Phenylalanine serves as a precursor by first being converted to -tyrosine by L-amino acid hydroxylase. Once converted, it follows the same pathway as described above. Mescaline was first synthesized in 1919 by Ernst Späth from 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl chloride. Subsequent to this, numerous approaches utilizing different starting materials have been developed. Notable examples include the following: Tolerance builds with repeated usage, lasting for