2C-I
chemical compound of the phenethylamine & psychoactive 2C class. "2C" refers to the two carbons (the ethyl) separating the phenyl ring and the nitrogen and the "I" signifies it is the 2C analog that is halogenated with iodine.
2C-I, also known as 4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, is a psychedelic drug of the phenethylamine and 2C families. It is taken orally.
2C-I was first synthesized and described by Alexander Shulgin in 1977 and was described in further detail in his 1991 book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved). The drug is used recreationally. 2C-I is sometimes confused with other related psychedelic drugs such as 25I-NBOMe (NBOMe-2C-I), nicknamed "Smiles" and "N-bomb" in the media.
Use and effects
In his book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved), Alexander Shulgin lists 2C-I's dose as 14 to 22 mg orally and its duration as 6 to 10 hours. Its onset is within 40 minutes and peak effects occur after about 2 hours. 2C-I is reported to be administered orally or via insufflation, as documented by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The effects of 2C-I have been reported to include color enhancement, psychedelic visuals, emotional enhancement, limited insights, increased energy, enhanced conversation and honesty, improved mood, and sensual immersion. The sensual effects of 2C-I were described as different from and possibly less than those of 2C-B.
Interactions
2C-I is metabolized by the monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes MAO-A and MAO-B. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, moclobemide, and selegiline may potentiate the effects of 2C-I. This may result in overdose and serious toxicity.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “2C-I” as chemical compound of the phenethylamine & psychoactive 2C class. "2C" refers to the two carbons (the ethyl) separating the phenyl ring and the nitrogen and the "I" signifies it is the 2C analog that is halogenated with iodine. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
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The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as chemical compound of the phenethylamine & psychoactive 2C class. "2C" refers to the two carbons (the ethyl) separating the phenyl ring and the nitrogen and the "I" signifies it is the 2C analog that is halogenated with iodine. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q209255. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1977 and 1991.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “2C-I” 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.