Ethinamate


Ethinamate is a short-acting carbamate-derivative sedative-hypnotic medication used to treat insomnia. Regular use leads to drug tolerance, and it is usually not effective for more than 7 days. Prolonged use can lead to dependency.
Ethinamate has been replaced by other medicines, and it is not available in the Netherlands, the United States or Canada.

Synthesis

Ethinamate is synthesized by combining acetylene with cyclohexanone and then transforming the resulting product into a carbamate by the subsequent reaction with phosgene, and later with ammonia. Some lithium metal or similar is used to make the acetylene react with the cyclohexanone in the first step.