HHC (Hexahydrocannabinol)
Definition
A hydrogenated form of THC produced by catalytic reduction of the 9-10 double bond, existing as (9R)-HHC (active) and (9S)-HHC (less active) diastereomers. Produced commercially from hemp-derived CBD; banned in the UK since September 2023.
- Production
- Catalytic hydrogenation of the THC 9-10 double bond
- Isomers
- (9R)-HHC (active) and (9S)-HHC (less active)
- Common source
- Made commercially from hemp-derived CBD
- UK legal status
- Banned since September 2023
Common questions
How does HHC differ chemically from THC?+
HHC is produced by adding hydrogen across the double bond in THC's ring structure, which removes that double bond entirely. This hydrogenation step is what creates the two diastereomers, since the reaction can add hydrogen from either face of the molecule.
Why does the source matter for regulating HHC?+
Because HHC is typically synthesised from hemp-derived CBD rather than extracted directly from the cannabis plant, it has been marketed in jurisdictions where hemp itself is legal, prompting separate bans that target the semi-synthetic cannabinoid rather than the plant material.
Related terms
- Δ9-THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
- The primary psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, formed by decarboxylation of THCA. Molecular formula C21H30O2, MW 314.46 g/mol. The 0.3% dry-weight threshold under...
- AMB-FUBINACA (ADB-FUBINACA)
- A third-wave synthetic cannabinoid of the fluorobenzyl indazole carboxamide scaffold identified in the 2016 New York mass-poisoning event; associated with intense, prolonged...
- CBD (Cannabidiol)
- A non-psychoactive cannabinoid and regioisomer of THC with the same molecular formula but a different double bond position. Dominant in hemp varieties....
- CBGA (Cannabigerolic Acid)
- The universal biosynthetic precursor to the major cannabinoids. Formed in cannabis trichomes by condensation of geranyl pyrophosphate and olivetolic acid; converted to...
- CBN (Cannabinol)
- An oxidation product of THC that accumulates as cannabis ages. High CBN:THC ratio is a qualitative marker of old or degraded cannabis...
- Charas
- Under the NDPS Act 1985, the separated resin from cannabis including concentrated preparations and hashish; distinct from ganja (flowering tops) and from...
- Duquenois-Levine Test
- A three-reagent presumptive test for cannabinoids: vanillin + acetaldehyde in ethanol (Reagent 1), concentrated hydrochloric acid (Reagent 2), and chloroform partition (Reagent...
- JWH-018
- 1-Pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole; the prototypical first-wave synthetic cannabinoid developed by John W. Huffman at Clemson University and identified in K2/Spice products from 2008. Scheduled...
- Total THC Calculation
- The formula (THCA x 0.877) + Δ9-THC that converts the THCA fraction to its decarboxylated THC equivalent, required by USDA ASTM methods...