RTI-31

(–)-2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4'-chlorophenyl)tropane (RTI-31) is a synthetic analog of cocaine that acts as a stimulant. Semi-synthesis of this compound is dependent upon the availability of cocaine starting material. According to the article, RTI-31 is 64 x the strength of cocaine in terms of its potency to elicit self-administration in monkeys. WIN 35428 was 6 x weaker than RTI-31, whereas RTI-51 was 2.6 x weaker than RTI-31.

A further advantage, in addition to potency of this compound, is that its duration of activity is longer than for cocaine. It could therefore be considered within the context as an agonist based therapy for treating cocaine addiction, although it is actually RTI-336 that entered into clinical trials with this in mind. RTI-31 is already completely psychoactive in its own right meaning that further chemical manipulation should be viewed as an option that is not strictly necessary. RTI-336 is actually made using RTI-31 as starting material. As will be seen in the next section, RTI-31 is not an entirely selective DRI in that it also has appreciable SERT and NET blocking affinity. RTI-31 can easily be "cleaned" though, as is done, for instance, by replacing the carbomethoxy ester with a more sterically occluded substituent such as is done for RTI-113.