Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Clomipramine, IUPAC name 8-chloro-3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-1(2H)-quinoxalinone, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) with molecular formula C₁₇H₁₇ClN₂O and molecular weight 308.8 g/mol. Structurally, it features a quinoxaline core with a chloro substituent and a methyl group, conferring lipophilicity. Therapeutically, it treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression. Key physicochemical properties include a melting point of ~130°C, solubility in ethanol and water, and pKa ~8.2. Its mechanism involves inhibiting serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake via blockade of presynaptic neuronal transporters, enhancing monoamine signaling. Metabolized in the liver via CYP450 enzymes, it exhibits high plasma protein binding.