Deazaflavin

Description

Deazaflavin for Sale

All Iron Mountain Labz products are intended only for laboratory research use and are not approved for human consumption.

Overview of Deazaflavin

Deazaflavin (5-deazariboflavin; CAS 3326-21-4) is a flavin analog / heterocyclic coenzyme – a synthetic analog of riboflavin (vitamin B2) in which the nitrogen atom at position 5 (N-5) of the isoalloxazine tricyclic ring system is replaced by a carbon atom (C-5), generating the 5-deazaisoalloxazine ring. Molecular formula: C12H9N3O2 (deazariboflavin aglycone – verify vs. COA for specific ribityl form); MW: 227.22 g/mol (aglycone); PubChem CID: 67753. It is classified as a nootropic and a supplement ingredient research compound. Deazaflavin is not a SARM – it has no androgen receptor activity. It is not a peptide – it is a synthetic flavin heterocycle in which the N-5 nitrogen of the isoalloxazine ring is replaced by carbon; it contains no amino acid chain. 

Per the product catalogue, Deazaflavin is classified as a NAD+ pathway coenzyme research compound – reflecting its structural role as the core chromophore of coenzyme F420, the low-potential hydride carrier (E°’ = −340 mV) that underpins F420-dependent oxidoreductase biochemistry in methanogenic archaea and actinomycetes.

Research transparency note: As of July 2026, no peer-reviewed publications specifically characterizing Deazaflavin (CAS 3326-21-4) in mammalian biological systems are available in indexed biomedical databases. The following overview and references relate to the 5-deazaflavin compound class and the NAD+ biosynthesis pathway context. Supplied for researchers in F420-dependent enzymology, deazaflavin redox chemistry, and NAD+ pathway pharmacology.

This product is not approved by the FDA for any therapeutic indication. Intended for laboratory and research purposes only; not a dietary supplement or consumer product in this research-grade formulation. Restricted to qualified researchers and licensed laboratory institutions.

Chemical Properties

Section	Details
CAS Number	3326-21-4 (5-deazariboflavin / deazaflavin aglycone – verify specific form vs. COA)
Chemical Class	Flavin Analog / Heterocyclic Coenzyme (5-Deazaflavin class)
Classification – NOT a SARM	No androgen receptor activity
Classification – NOT a Peptide	Synthetic flavin (vitamin B2 analog) where nitrogen-5 is replaced by carbon; no amino acid chain
Regulatory Status	Research Compound / Supplement Ingredient (deazaflavin class)
Molar Mass	227.22 g/mol (aglycone); verify ribityl/glycosylated form vs. COA
Chemical Formula	C12H9N3O2 (aglycone)
IUPAC Name	benzo[g]pteridine-2,4(3H,10H)-dione (deazaisoalloxazine core ring system; IUPAC naming varies by database – verify vs. COA for the specific ribityl/glycosylated form supplied)
Synonyms	5-deazariboflavin; deazaflavin; 5-deazaflavin; flavin B2 analog; NAD+ pathway coenzyme analog
PubChem CID	67753
Physical Form	Yellow to orange crystalline solid
Purity	≥99% (HPLC-UV at ~420 nm)
Solubility	DMSO: soluble; ethanol: soluble with warming; water: sparingly soluble
Storage	−20°C; amber vials; sealed; protect from light – extended π-chromophore absorbs at ~420 nm
Shelf Life	24 months from the manufacture date
Classification	Research Use Only (RUO)

Deazaflavin’s Mechanism of Action in Research Models

Within deazaflavin biochemistry research, the defining mechanistic property of 5-deazaflavin is its constraint to obligate two-electron (hydride, H⁻) transfer chemistry, arising from the C-5 substitution eliminating the N-5 lone pair responsible for stabilizing the one-electron flavin semiquinone radical (FMNH•) in natural riboflavin/FMN/FAD. This mechanistic constraint makes deazaflavin the foundational structural class for the coenzyme F420 hydride carrier – a low-potential electron carrier (E°’ = −340 mV, lower than NADH at −320 mV) that operates specifically as a two-electron hydride donor/acceptor in F420-dependent oxidoreductases (FDOs) across archaea and actinomycetes.

Nguyen et al. (2017) characterized the crystal structure (1.5 Å resolution) and biochemical properties of F420-dependent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (FGD) from Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, demonstrating conservation of the deazaflavin cofactor-binding pocket architecture relative to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis FGD1 (Mtb-FGD1) and establishing the FGD catalytic mechanism for F420H₂ generation needed by F420-dependent reductases involved in antitubercular prodrug (pretomanid, delamanid) bioreductive activation (DOI). In the broader NAD+ coenzyme biology context, Khaidizar et al. (2021) reviewed the centrality of NAMPT and the NAD+ salvage pathway in aging, characterizing NAD+ decline with age and the research landscape for coenzyme precursors and coenzyme analogs as potential interventions in age-related metabolic decline (DOI). Data remain limited, and findings are not consistent across all experimental model systems.

Risk & Handling

Risk Tier: LOW

Deazaflavin is a synthetic flavin analog heterocycle with no established mammalian toxicological profile. Handle with standard organic compound precautions:

• Photosensitivity: Extended deazaflavin π-chromophore absorbs at ~420 nm – amber vials mandatory for all storage; work under reduced-light conditions; foil-wrap all solution storage containers
• Inhalation risk: Fine powder – use a ventilated workspace or N95 during weighing
• PPE: Nitrile gloves, lab coat, and safety eyewear for all handling operations
• No established acute human toxicity for this flavin analog compound class at laboratory handling concentrations
• No human safety data has been established for this research-grade formulation. Contact help@ironmountainlabz.com for the Safety Data Sheet.

Why Buy Deazaflavin from Iron Mountain Labz?

• Purity: ≥99% by HPLC-UV per lot
• Identity: confirmed by ¹H-NMR and LC-MS/MS per lot
• Light-sensitive packaging: amber vials; store at −20°C protected from light
• Residual solvents: ≤300 ppm by GC headspace per lot (ICH Q3C compliant)
• Certificate of Analysis available on request per lot
• For queries, complaints, or support, please contact help@ironmountainlabz.com 

FAQs

Q1: What is Deazaflavin chemically, and why is it not a SARM or peptide?
Deazaflavin (5-deazariboflavin) is a flavin analog heterocycle – a synthetic riboflavin (vitamin B2) structural analog in which the isoalloxazine ring N-5 position is replaced by carbon, constraining its redox chemistry to obligate two-electron hydride transfer. It contains no amino acid chain, making it definitively not a peptide. It has no androgen receptor activity, making it definitively not a SARM. It belongs to the 5-deazaflavin class that underpins coenzyme F420 – a NAD-pathway-related hydride carrier in microbial and potential mammalian systems.

Q2: Why does the N-5/C-5 substitution matter mechanistically?
In natural flavins (riboflavin, FMN, FAD), the N-5 nitrogen lone pair stabilizes the one-electron semiquinone radical (FMNH•), enabling both one-electron and two-electron flavin chemistry. In 5-deazaflavins, the C-5 substitution raises the radical state energy to prohibitive levels – eliminating semiquinone formation. This makes deazaflavin compounds exclusive two-electron (hydride) carriers and valuable probes for discriminating one-electron vs. two-electron mechanisms in flavoenzyme research.

Q3: What research applications is Deazaflavin relevant to?
In laboratory research: F420-dependent oxidoreductase (FDO) enzyme biochemistry; antitubercular prodrug activation research (pretomanid/delamanid bioreductive activation by F420H₂-dependent reductases); mechanistic probe studies discriminating one-electron vs. two-electron flavoenzyme pathways; NAD+ coenzyme analog and pathway research; and methanoarchaea methanogenesis biochemistry. All in laboratory and preclinical contexts.

Q4: Is there mammalian biological data available for Deazaflavin?
No peer-reviewed publications specifically characterizing Deazaflavin (CAS 3326-21-4) in mammalian biological systems are available as of July 2026. Researchers should treat this as a chemical tool compound requiring in-house characterization in any mammalian system, with appropriate controls. Contact help@ironmountainlabz.com for available application-specific guidance.

Q5: What storage conditions are required?
Store at −20°C in amber-capped sealed vials protected from light (shelf life: 24 months). Work under reduced-light conditions. Foil-wrap all solution storage. N95 during powder weighing. No human safety data has been established for this research-grade formulation.

References

Research transparency note: As of July 2026, no peer-reviewed publications specific to Deazaflavin (CAS 3326-21-4) in mammalian biological systems are available. The following references address the deazaflavin/F420 compound class biochemistry and NAD+ pathway context.

1. 1. Nguyen QT, Trinco G, Binda C, Mattevi A, Fraaije MW. Discovery and characterization of an F420-dependent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (Rh-FGD1) from Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2017;101(7):2831–2842. PMID: 27966048.
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27966048/
   2. Khaidizar FD, Bessho Y, Nakahata Y. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase as a key molecule of the aging/senescence process. Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(7):3709. PMID: 33918226.
      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33918226/ 
   3. Joosten V, van Berkel WJH. Flavoenzymes. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 2007;11(2):195–202. PMID: 17275397 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17275397/