CAS 62-44-2 Aceto phenetidin Phenacetine Fenacetin Phenacetin

Phenacetin occurs at room temperature as white, odorless monoclinic prisms. It is soluble in water (more so in hot than cold water), alcohol, glycerol, and acetone and is slightly soluble in benzene. It is unstable to oxidizing agents, iodine, and nitrating agents (IARC 1977).

Phenacetin, a painkiller, was the world’s first synthetic pharmaceutical drug. It was one of the first painkillers that was not derived from while at the same time being absent of antiinflammatory qualities. Phenacetin was developed in 1878 by an American chemist, Harmon Northrop Morse. It was introduced into the pharmaceutical market in 1887. However, it was withdrawn in 1983 in the United States due to unacceptable levels of interstitial nephritis in patients and potential risks of tumorigenicity. Like in the United States, most Western countries did not ban phenacetin from marketing until 1983. Phenacetin is a component of APC (aspirin-phenacetin).