Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Dobutamine, IUPAC name 4-[(2-amino-1-hydroxyethyl)amino]-3,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,2-diol, is a synthetic catecholamine with molecular formula C9H13NO4 (molecular weight 199.21 g/mol). Structurally, it features a substituted benzene ring with hydroxyl groups at positions 3 and 5 (catechol moiety) and an ethylamine side chain with a hydroxyl group. As a sympathomimetic amine, it acts as a selective β1-adrenergic agonist, enhancing cardiac contractility and heart rate. Therapeutically, it is used to treat acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Dobutamine is water-soluble, a weak base (pKa ~9.5), and rapidly metabolized by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase (MAO). Its mechanism involves stimulating β1-receptors in cardiac myocytes, increasing intracellular cAMP and Ca²⁺, thereby augmenting myocardial contractility.