RCS-4
chemical compound
RCS-4, or 1-pentyl-3-(4-methoxybenzoyl)indole, is a synthetic cannabinoid drug sold under the names SR-19, BTM-4, or Eric-4 (later shortened to E-4), but originally, OBT-199.
Pharmacology
RCS-4 is a potent cannabinoid receptor agonist, with EC50 values of 146 nM for human CB1 receptors, and 46 nM for human CB2 receptors. All methoxyphenyl regioisomers, and N-butyl homologues of RCS-4 and its regioisomers also display potent agonist activities at CB1 and CB2 receptors.
Legality
RCS-4 was banned in Sweden on 1 October 2010 as a hazardous good harmful to health, after being identified as an ingredient in "herbal" synthetic cannabis products.
It was outlawed in Denmark on 11 March 2011.
In August 2011, New Zealand added not only RCS-4 but also its 1-butyl homologue, and the 2-methoxybenzoyl isomers of both these compounds, to a temporary class drug schedule (i.e. equivalent to Class C but reviewed after 12 months, and with personal possession and use of small amounts decriminalised), which was newly created under the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2011 passed a week earlier.
As of October 2015 RCS-4 is a controlled substance in China.
The public source identifies “RCS-4” as chemical compound. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around RCS-4, chemical and compound.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “RCS-4”, the useful work is to connect “chemical compound” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 27, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q7276131. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2010, 2011 and 2015.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
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Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
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This entry incorporates text from “RCS-4” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.