4mta is a man made substance developed by David E Nichols and his research team and was intended purely as a research agent into the serotonin trannsporter protein.  The team were horrified when the 4mta began to be used as a recreational drug.

Prior to its banning 4mta was briefly sold in specialist shops in Holland before the serious side effects began to emerge.  It has also been sold as an illegal drug under the guise of being ecstacy/mdma during the late 1990's, mainly in the USA.  Ultimately the high risk and negative euphoria made the drug unpopular.