2C-I

2C-I (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine) is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin and described in PiHKAL (1991). The 4-iodo substituent gives it slightly higher potency than 2C-B and a more stimulant-forward character, producing an energetic, sociable psychedelic experience at doses of 14–22 mg with a duration of 6–8 hours. 2C-I became one of the most widely distributed research chemicals in the early 2000s, particularly in Europe, where it was sold legally until scheduling actions swept through most jurisdictions between 2004 and 2012.

The 2C-I experience is frequently described as bridging the recreational warmth of 2C-B and the analytical depth of 2C-E — more stimulating and socially engaging than 2C-B, less cerebrally demanding than 2C-E, with pronounced visual effects, tactile enhancement, and a generally positive mood elevation at moderate doses. The stimulant component can produce uncomfortable restlessness, jaw clenching, and wakefulness at higher doses, and the extended duration (8 hours is common) can contribute to physical fatigue.

Like all 2C compounds, 2C-I carries psychological risks proportional to dose and individual factors. Its period of widespread commercial availability generated substantial community experience, making it one of the better-documented 2C compounds despite never having formal clinical research attention. A notable safety concern specific to 2C-I is that blotter paper sold as "2C-I" was responsible for a wave of NBOMe compound poisonings in the 2010s when vendors substituted the cheaper and far more toxic 25I-NBOMe — a compound that visually and physically resembles LSD blotter but produces dramatic and potentially lethal physiological toxicity.