ABSTRACT
Like the antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs were discovered by chance.
■ 1950s: Phenothiazines developed. Chlorpromazine was synthesised originally as an antihistamine/antihelminthic but was found subsequently to be sedative and antipsychotic. More compounds were synthesised within the same and related classes (e.g. thioxanthines; Table 3.1). The butyrophenones were created in the late 1950s: Haloperidol began life as a candidate analgesic, and was later found to have antipsychotic properties. Further compounds were synthesised in this and other classes, for example phenylbutylpiperidine.
