Final answer:
Phenothiazines are widely used drugs in medical practice for serious psychiatric illnesses. They have various properties such as antiemetic effects and the ability to potentiate analgesics and sedatives. The substitution of an electron-withdrawing group enhances their effectiveness.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phenothiazines are a class of drugs widely used in medical practice for the management of patients with serious psychiatric illnesses. They have various properties such as antiemetic, antinausea, antihistaminic effects, and the ability to potentiate analgesics, sedatives, and general anesthetics.
The tricyclic structure of phenothiazine, consisting of two benzene rings linked by a sulfur and a nitrogen atom, contributes to their efficacy. The substitution of an electron-withdrawing group at R2 enhances their effectiveness.
Chlorpromazine, a phenothiazine, is known for its central actions in producing a tendency to sleep and a lack of interest, referred to as neuroleptic.