2C-C (2,5-dimethoxy-4-chlorophenethylamine) is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family, first synthesized and characterized by Alexander Shulgin and documented in PiHKAL (1991). It is distinguished within the 2C series by its reputation as the "gentle" member — producing milder, more manageable psychedelic effects at common doses (20–40 mg) with a comparatively relaxed character that community members frequently contrast with the more demanding intensity of 2C-E or the raw potency of 2C-P.
The 2C-C experience typically lasts 4–6 hours and is characterized by mild visual patterning, sensory enhancement, mood elevation, and a relaxed, occasionally sedated quality that sets it apart from the stimulant undercurrent present in many other 2C compounds. Users often describe an absence of the mental racing and analytical pressure that characterizes 2C-E, instead reporting a more contemplative, comfortable headspace. This profile has made 2C-C a popular choice for first-time 2C explorations and for those seeking a less demanding psychedelic experience.
The 4-chloro substituent — a halogen substitution at the 4-position of the phenyl ring — distinguishes 2C-C's pharmacology from its bromo and iodo siblings. The chloro group is the least lipophilic of the common 2C halogens, which appears to contribute to the compound's reduced potency and gentler character compared to 2C-B (4-bromo) or 2C-I (4-iodo). Like all 2C compounds, 2C-C is a Schedule I substance in the United States under the Federal Analogue Act framework, and explicitly scheduled in most other jurisdictions.
Safety at a Glance
High Risk- Appropriate Starting Point
- Mind the Sedation
- Toxicity: General Safety Profile 2C-C has an overall safety profile broadly similar to other 2C phenethylamines, with the notab...
- Overdose risk: Fatal overdose from 2C-C alone, at doses within the typical recreational range, is extremely unli...
If someone is in crisis, call 911 or Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
Dosage
oral
Duration
oral
Total: 4 hrs – 8 hrsHow It Feels
The onset is gentle and unhurried. Thirty to forty-five minutes after ingestion, a soft warmth spreads through the chest and stomach. There may be mild nausea -- a brief, passing queasiness that rarely develops into anything more than a momentary discomfort. The body begins to relax, and a subtle shift in visual perception announces the beginning of the experience. Colors deepen slightly, and there is a barely perceptible brightening of the visual field, as though a thin layer of haze has been lifted from the world.
Over the next hour, the effects unfold with characteristic restraint. Colors become noticeably richer and more vivid without reaching the fluorescent extremes of the more powerful phenethylamines. Surfaces develop a gentle, slow breathing motion. Textures seem more defined and interesting, inviting closer inspection. The visual geometry, when it appears at all, is soft and unobtrusive -- faint patterns that hover just at the threshold of perception, appearing most clearly against uniform surfaces or with closed eyes. The overall visual character is one of enhancement rather than transformation: the world looks like a more beautiful version of itself rather than something fundamentally altered.
The headspace is remarkably gentle and accessible. There is a quiet euphoria, a sense of comfortable wellbeing that extends to both body and mind. Thoughts flow easily and clearly, without the racing, branching quality of more intense psychedelics. Anxiety is rare -- the experience has a distinctly anxiolytic quality, a softening of worry and self-consciousness that makes social interaction feel natural and pleasant. Music is modestly enhanced, gaining warmth and emotional presence. The body feels relaxed and comfortable, with minimal stimulation and virtually no significant body load. For those new to psychedelics or seeking a mild, manageable introduction to the phenethylamine experience, 2C-C offers an accessible entry point.
The experience begins to fade around three to four hours after onset, drifting gently back toward baseline. The enhanced colors gradually return to normal, and the subtle breathing of surfaces stills. The comedown is smooth and untroubled, leaving behind a pleasant afterglow of mild contentment and relaxation. Total duration spans four to six hours. There is essentially no hangover -- no headache, no depletion, no physical taxation. The aftermath is simply a quiet return to ordinary consciousness, perhaps with a lingering appreciation for how beautiful ordinary things can be when attention is gently directed toward them.
Subjective Effects
The effects listed below are based on the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal reports and personal analyses. They should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism. These effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects.
Physical Effects
Physical(16)
- Bodily control enhancement— Bodily control enhancement is the subjective feeling of improved physical precision, coordination, a...
- Body load— A diffuse, heavy physical discomfort involving tension, pressure, and malaise in the torso and limbs...
- Dehydration— A state of insufficient bodily hydration manifesting as persistent thirst, dry mouth, and physical d...
- Headache— A painful sensation of pressure, throbbing, or aching in the head that can range from a dull backgro...
- Increased blood pressure— Increased blood pressure (hypertension) is an elevation of arterial pressure above the normal 120/80...
- Increased bodily temperature— Increased bodily temperature (hyperthermia) is an elevation of core body temperature above the norma...
- Increased heart rate— A noticeable acceleration of heartbeat that can range from a subtle awareness of one's pulse to a fo...
- Increased libido— A marked enhancement of sexual desire, arousal, and sensitivity to erotic stimuli that can range fro...
- Muscle cramp— Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary, and often painful contractions of muscles that occur as a sid...
- Nausea— An uncomfortable sensation of queasiness and stomach discomfort that may or may not lead to vomiting...
- Physical euphoria— An intensely pleasurable bodily sensation that can manifest as waves of warmth, tingling electricity...
- Physical fatigue— Physical fatigue is a state of bodily exhaustion characterized by reduced energy, diminished capacit...
- Pupil dilation— A visible enlargement of the pupil diameter (mydriasis) that can range from subtle widening to drama...
- Sedation— A state of deep physical and mental calming that manifests as a progressive desire to remain still, ...
- Stimulation— A state of heightened physical and mental energy characterized by increased wakefulness, elevated mo...
- Teeth grinding— An involuntary clenching and rhythmic grinding of the jaw muscles, known clinically as bruxism, that...
Tactile(1)
- Tactile enhancement— The sense of touch becomes dramatically heightened, making physical contact feel intensely pleasurab...
Cognitive & Perceptual Effects
Visual(13)
- Autonomous entity— The perception of contact with seemingly sentient, independently acting beings that appear within ha...
- Colour enhancement— An intensification of the brightness, vividness, and saturation of colors in the external environmen...
- Colour shifting— The visual experience of colors on objects and surfaces cycling through continuous, fluid transforma...
- Drifting— The visual experience of perceiving stationary objects, textures, and surfaces as appearing to flow,...
- External hallucination— A visual hallucination that manifests within the external environment as though it were physically r...
- Geometry— The experience of perceiving complex, ever-shifting geometric patterns superimposed over the visual ...
- Internal hallucination— Vivid, detailed visual experiences perceived within an imagined mental landscape that can only be se...
- Pattern recognition enhancement— An increased ability and tendency to perceive meaningful patterns, faces, and images within ambiguou...
- Perspective hallucination— A hallucinatory phenomenon in which the observer's visual perspective shifts from the normal first-p...
- Settings, sceneries, and landscapes— The perceived environment in which hallucinatory experiences take place, ranging from recognizable l...
- Tracers— Moving objects leave visible trails of varying length and opacity behind them, similar to long-expos...
- Transformations— Objects and scenery undergo perceived visual metamorphosis, smoothly shapeshifting into other recogn...
- Visual acuity enhancement— Vision becomes sharper and more defined than normal, as though a slightly blurry lens has been broug...
Cognitive(19)
- Amnesia— A complete or partial inability to form new memories or recall existing ones during and after substa...
- Analysis enhancement— A perceived improvement in one's ability to logically deconstruct concepts, recognize patterns, and ...
- Anxiety— Intense feelings of apprehension, worry, and dread that can range from a subtle background unease to...
- Anxiety suppression— A partial to complete suppression of anxiety and general unease, producing a calm, relaxed mental st...
- Conceptual thinking— A shift in the nature of thought from verbal, linear sentence structures to intuitive, non-linguisti...
- Confusion— An impairment of abstract thinking marked by a persistent inability to grasp or comprehend concepts ...
- Delusion— A delusion is a fixed, false belief that is held with unshakeable certainty and is impervious to con...
- Immersion enhancement— A heightened capacity to become fully absorbed and engrossed in external media such as music, films,...
- Increased sense of humor— A general amplification of one's sensitivity to finding things humorous and amusing, often causing p...
- Introspection— An enhanced state of self-reflective awareness in which one feels drawn to examine their own thought...
- Memory suppression— A dose-dependent inhibition of one's ability to access and utilize short-term and long-term memory, ...
- Mindfulness— Mindfulness in the substance context refers to a state of heightened present-moment awareness in whi...
- Novelty enhancement— A feeling of increased fascination, awe, and childlike wonder attributed to everyday concepts, objec...
- Personal bias suppression— A decrease in the personal, cultural, and cognitive biases through which one normally filters their ...
- Psychosis— Psychosis is a serious psychiatric state involving a fundamental break from consensus reality — char...
- Thought acceleration— The experience of thoughts occurring at a dramatically increased rate, as if the mind has been shift...
- Thought connectivity— A state in which disparate thoughts, concepts, and ideas become fluidly and spontaneously interconne...
- Time distortion— Subjective perception of time becomes dramatically altered — minutes may feel like hours, or hours p...
- Wakefulness— An increased ability to stay awake and alert without the desire to sleep. Distinct from stimulation ...
Auditory(4)
- Auditory distortion— Auditory distortion is the experience of sounds becoming warped, pitch-shifted, flanged, or otherwis...
- Auditory enhancement— Auditory enhancement is a heightened sensitivity and appreciation of sound in which music, voices, a...
- Auditory hallucination— Auditory hallucination is the perception of sounds that have no external source — hearing music, voi...
- Auditory misinterpretation— Auditory misinterpretation is the brief, spontaneous misidentification of real sounds as entirely di...
Multi-sensory(1)
- Scenarios and plots— Scenarios and plots are the narrative structures that emerge within hallucinatory states — coherent ...
Transpersonal(3)
- Ego death— A profound dissolution of the sense of self in which personal identity, memories, and the boundary b...
- Entity contact— Perception of encountering autonomous beings or presences during psychedelic states, ranging from va...
- Unity and interconnectedness— A profound sense that identity extends beyond the self to encompass other people, nature, or all of ...
Pharmacology
Mechanism of Action
2C-C acts as a partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, the primary pharmacological target shared by all classical psychedelic compounds. The 5-HT2A-mediated disruption of thalamocortical signaling produces the characteristic perceptual alterations, cognitive loosening, and synesthetic blending associated with the psychedelic state. 2C-C also binds to 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptors, with approximately 15-fold lower affinity at 5-HT1A receptors.
Relative Potency
The 4-chloro substituent produces noticeably lower receptor affinity compared to bromine or iodine at the same position, consistent with chlorine's smaller size and lower lipophilicity. This translates directly to the higher milligram doses required and the milder subjective intensity at equivalent doses relative to 2C-B or 2C-I. The structure-activity principle that larger, more electron-donating halogens at C4 increase 5-HT2A affinity is well illustrated by comparing 2C-C, 2C-B, and 2C-I.
Monoamine Transporter Activity
2C-C shows very low affinity for monoamine transporters (DAT, NET, SERT) — the targets responsible for the stimulant effects of amphetamines and many other 2C compounds. This low transporter affinity accounts for the absence of significant stimulation and the sedated, relaxed quality frequently reported. Users switching from 2C-E or 2C-I often note the comparative absence of jaw tension, stimulant restlessness, or mental racing.
Pharmacokinetics
No formal human pharmacokinetic data is available. The 4–6 hour duration, shorter than 2C-E but comparable to 2C-B, is consistent with typical oral phenethylamine pharmacokinetics. The chloro substitution resists metabolic O-demethylation less than bulkier halogens, which may contribute to the shorter duration.
Detection Methods
Urine Detection
2C-C is not specifically targeted by standard immunoassay-based urine drug panels. However, because 2C-x phenethylamines share structural features with amphetamines, they may trigger false positives on amphetamine immunoassays in some cases. The likelihood of cross-reactivity depends on the specific immunoassay manufacturer and the antibody selectivity used. Urine detection windows for 2C-C are estimated at 24 to 72 hours following ingestion when analyzed by LC-MS/MS methods, though limited pharmacokinetic data exists for many 2C-x compounds.
Blood and Serum Detection
Blood detection windows for 2C-C are approximately 6 to 24 hours after oral administration. Peak plasma concentrations typically occur 1 to 3 hours post-ingestion. The relatively short half-lives of most 2C-x phenethylamines mean that blood testing must be performed promptly to capture detectable concentrations. LC-MS/MS is the only reliable method for quantitative blood analysis.
Standard Drug Panel Inclusion
2C-C is NOT specifically included on standard 5-panel, 10-panel, or 12-panel drug screens. The primary concern for individuals undergoing routine screening is the potential for amphetamine cross-reactivity on immunoassay-based panels. If a presumptive positive for amphetamines occurs, confirmatory testing by GC-MS or LC-MS/MS would not confirm amphetamine and the result would be reported as negative unless the laboratory specifically tests for 2C-x compounds. Most routine laboratories do not include 2C-x phenethylamines in their confirmatory panels.
Confirmatory Methods
Definitive identification of 2C-C requires LC-MS/MS or GC-MS with appropriate reference standards. Some forensic toxicology laboratories include 2C-x phenethylamines in their extended novel psychoactive substance panels. Immunoassay cross-reactivity alone is insufficient for confirmation and would be resolved by standard confirmatory procedures. Quantitative analysis typically requires specific method development as these compounds are not part of routine clinical chemistry workflows.
Reagent Testing (Harm Reduction)
For harm reduction identification, the Marquis reagent is a primary screening tool for 2C-C. The Marquis reagent produces a yellow to yellow-green reaction with 2C-C. The Mecke reagent may provide additional color reactions that help differentiate between specific 2C-x variants. The Ehrlich reagent shows no reaction with 2C-x phenethylamines, which can help distinguish them from tryptamines and lysergamides. The Mandelin reagent may produce green to brown reactions depending on the specific compound. Using multiple reagents in combination provides the most reliable field identification, though reagent testing cannot determine purity or dosage.
Interactions
| Substance | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 3-FMA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 4-MMC | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 8-Chlorotheophylline | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| Adrafinil | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| Anandamide | Caution | Cannabis can unpredictably intensify psychedelic effects and increase anxiety |
| Cannabis | Uncertain | — |
| 1,3-Butanediol | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 25E-NBOH | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 2C-T | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 2C-T-2 | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
History
Shulgin and PiHKAL
2C-C was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin as part of his systematic exploration of 4-substituted 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamines. Shulgin's research program in the 1970s and 1980s generated the core 2C library — 2C-B, 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, 2C-I, 2C-P, and others — each differing only in the nature of the 4-position substituent. The series was documented comprehensively in PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1991), coauthored with Ann Shulgin.
In PiHKAL, Shulgin describes 2C-C as producing a "relaxed, almost lazy psychedelic state" — language that prefigures the community characterization of the compound as the gentlest member of the 2C family. His bioassay notes emphasized the unusual sedated quality compared to other family members.
Research Chemical Era
2C-C was among the 2C compounds commercially available from online research chemical vendors in the early to mid-2000s. It attracted less attention than 2C-B and 2C-I due to its milder character, but maintained a consistent presence in the harm reduction and psychedelic communities as a recommended "introductory" 2C compound.
Legal Status
2C-C is Schedule I in the United States and explicitly controlled in most European jurisdictions. The Controlled Substances Act scheduling of phenethylamine psychedelics accelerated after the 2011 scheduling of the 2C family as a class.
Harm Reduction
Appropriate Starting Point
The gentler reputation of 2C-C makes it a reasonable first 2C compound. A starting dose of 15–20 mg allows a genuine psychedelic experience with lower risk of overwhelming intensity. Common doses of 25–35 mg are well-tolerated by most experienced users. Doses above 40 mg enter unpredictable territory.
Mind the Sedation
Unlike more stimulating 2C compounds, 2C-C can produce a heavy, sedated quality at higher doses. Plan your experience accordingly — having a comfortable space to lie down, and not expecting to be active or social during the experience, reduces the risk of discomfort from unexpected sedation.
Avoid Redosing
The common mistake of redosing when effects are slower than expected applies particularly to 2C-C, where the experience may build slowly over 90–120 minutes. Wait at least two hours after dosing before concluding the dose was insufficient.
Typical Duration
4–6 hours for the core experience; plan for an additional 1–2 hours of lingering effects before attempting to sleep or drive.
Combinations
Toxicity & Safety
General Safety Profile
2C-C has an overall safety profile broadly similar to other 2C phenethylamines, with the notable qualification that its milder potency and lower stimulant burden may reduce certain acute risks compared to more potent family members. No deaths have been attributed specifically to 2C-C pharmacology.
Cardiovascular Effects
As a phenethylamine with modest stimulant character, 2C-C produces mild to moderate sympathomimetic effects — mild tachycardia, modest blood pressure elevation, and pupil dilation. These effects are generally less pronounced than with 2C-E or 2C-I and are well-tolerated in healthy individuals.
Psychological Risks
The gentler character of 2C-C reduces but does not eliminate the risk of acute anxiety and overwhelm, particularly at higher doses (40+ mg). The sedated quality occasionally reported can become dysphoric or dissociative at elevated doses. Individuals predisposed to psychosis should avoid all psychedelics.
Drug Interactions
- MAOIs: Potentially dangerous; avoid
- Lithium: Contraindicated with psychedelics
- Cannabis: May significantly amplify intensity
- Stimulants: Additive cardiovascular load
Harm Note
The gentler reputation of 2C-C sometimes leads users to assume it is safe to redose during the experience. Redosing with 2C compounds typically prolongs and intensifies the experience unexpectedly — this risk applies fully to 2C-C.
Addiction Potential
not habit-forming
Overdose Information
Fatal overdose from 2C-C alone, at doses within the typical recreational range, is extremely unlikely based on the available evidence for classical psychedelics. The therapeutic index for most psychedelics is very wide.
However, psychological emergencies can occur and require appropriate response:
- Severe anxiety, panic, or psychotic episodes
- Dangerous behavior due to impaired reality testing
- Self-harm in the context of a distressing experience
Emergency management: If someone is experiencing a severe adverse reaction, move them to a calm, quiet environment. Speak reassuringly. Do not restrain unless there is immediate danger. Benzodiazepines (if available and the person is conscious and able to swallow) can reduce acute anxiety. If psychotic symptoms, self-harm risk, or medical distress is present, seek emergency medical attention.
Medical attention: Seek help immediately for seizures, extremely elevated body temperature, signs of serotonin syndrome (agitation, tremor, diarrhea, rapid heart rate), or if the substance consumed is uncertain.
Tolerance
| Full | Develops almost immediately after ingestion |
| Half | 3 days |
| Zero | 7 days |
Cross-tolerances
Legal Status
Australia: Australia has a blanket ban over all substituted phenethylamines including the entire 2C-X family.
Austria: 2C-C is illegal to possess, produce and sell under the NPSG (Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Gesetz Österreich). In its Schedule II, the further specifying NPSV (Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Verordnung Österreich) explicitly bans all substituted phenetylamines.
Brazil: Possession, production and sale is illegal as it is listed on Portaria SVS/MS nº 344.
Canada: 2C-C would be considered Schedule III as it is a derivative of 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine.
China: As of October 2015, 2C-C is a controlled substance in China.
Germany: 2C-C is controlled under Anlage I BtMG (Narcotics Act, Schedule I) as of December 13, 2014. It is illegal to manufacture, possess, import, export, buy, sell, procure or dispense it without a license.
Japan: 2C-C is controlled by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in Japan, making it illegal to possess or sell.
Latvia: 2C-C is a Schedule I controlled substance in Latvia.
Sweden: 2C-C is a controlled substance.
Switzerland: 2C-C is a controlled substance specifically named under Verzeichnis E.
Turkey:** 2C-C is classed as a drug and is illegal to possess, produce, supply, or import.
United Kingdom: 2C-C is a Class A drug in the United Kingdom as a result of the phenethylamine catch-all clause.
United States: As of July 9, 2012, 2C-C is a Schedule I substance in the United States under the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012, making possession, distribution and manufacture illegal without a DEA license.
Responsible use
Psychedelic
Phenethylamine
2C-x
2C-C (Wikipedia)
2C-C (Erowid Vault)
2C-C (PiHKAL / Isomer Design)
Discussion
The Big & Dandy 2C-C Thread (Bluelight)
2C-C, broken down and described (Disregard Everything I Say)
Experience Reports (2)
Tips (8)
If you experience anxiety or thought loops on 2C-C, change your physical environment: move to a different room, go outside, change the music, or hold something cold. A change of scenery can instantly shift a difficult headspace.
Use a milligram scale to weigh 2C-C if it comes as a powder. Eyeballing doses of potent psychedelics is irresponsible. A quality 0.001g scale costs under $30 and could prevent a seriously overwhelming experience.
Always test 2C-C with an Ehrlich reagent before use. A positive reaction (purple/pink color change) confirms the presence of an indole/lysergamide compound. No reaction could indicate a dangerous substitute like an NBOMe.
Integration is just as important as the experience itself. After using 2C-C, take time to journal, reflect, or discuss the experience. Insights from psychedelic states can be powerful but need conscious effort to apply to daily life.
Do not combine 2C-C with lithium (seizure risk), tramadol (seizure/serotonin syndrome risk), or cannabis at higher doses unless very experienced. Cannabis dramatically intensifies and can destabilize a psychedelic experience.
2C-C is known as one of the most easygoing and comfortable psychedelics in the 2C family. It produces a warm, relaxed headspace with mild visuals, making it suitable for those who want a gentle psychedelic experience without intense mental challenges.
Community Discussions (2)
See Also
References (4)
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety — Griffiths et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)paper
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging — Carhart-Harris et al. PNAS (2016)paper
- 2C-C - TripSit Factsheet
TripSit factsheet for 2C-C
tripsit - 2C-C - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on 2C-C
wikipedia