Synthesis and Characterization of Potentially Dangerous New Nitazene Analogues

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are substances of abuse not controlled under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, as defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Globally, over 1,350 NPS have been reported, including highly potent synthetic opioids. According to the European Union Drugs Agency, since 2009, 88 synthetic opioids have been detected on the European drug market. In 2024, seven new substances were reported, all belonging to the Nitazene class — highly potent compounds linked to overdose deaths. To date, 22 Nitazenes have been identified across Europe. This research focuses on the synthesis of Nitazene derivatives based on the 2-benzylbenzimidazole scaffold. Structural diversity was achieved through substitutions at two key positions: (i) the ether moiety of the benzyl group and (ii) the benzimidazole core. The synthesised compounds were structurally characterised using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to confirm their molecular structure and purity. This study introduces new analogues to the Nitazenes, enriching the structural diversity of this emerging class of opioid. The characterised compounds can serve as analytical reference standards to support identification and monitoring of these substances in forensic and toxicological settings.