Clozapine N-oxide

Clozapine N-oxide
Names
	IUPAC name 3-chloro-6-(4-methyl-4-oxidopiperazin-4-ium-1-yl)-11H-benzo[b][1,4]benzodiazepine
Identifiers
CAS Number	34233-69-7;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1688;
ChemSpider	21169512;
ECHA InfoCard	100.164.243
PubChem CID	135445691;
UNII	MZA8BK588J;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID50955778 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/C18H19ClN4O/c1-23(24)10-8-22(9-11-23)18-14-4-2-3-5-15(14)20-16-7-6-13(19)12-17(16)21-18/h2-7,12,20H,8-11H2,1H3 Key: OGUCZBIQSYYWEF-UHFFFAOYSA-N;
	SMILES C[N+]1(CCN(CC1)C2=NC3=C(C=CC(=C3)Cl)NC4=CC=CC=C42)[O-];
Properties
Chemical formula	C18H19ClN4O
Molar mass	342.83 g·mol−1
Hazards
	GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statements	H301, H315, H319, H335
Precautionary statements	P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P301+P310, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P312, P321, P330, P332+P313, P337+P313, P362, P403+P233, P405, P501
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Clozapine N-oxide (CNO) is a synthetic drug used mainly in biomedical research as a ligand to activate Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), despite the initial belief that it was biologically inert. However, it has been shown to not enter the brain after administration and to reverse metabolize in peripheral tissues to form clozapine. Clozapine can bind to a number of different serotonergic, dopaminergic and adrenergic receptors within the brain. These off-target effects mean behavioral data using the CNO-DREADD system have to be interpreted with caution.

Alternatives to CNO with more affinity, more inert character, and faster kinetics include Compound 21 (C21) and deschloroclozapine (DCZ).