Discrimination and identification of the six aromatic positional isomers of trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
A reliable and accurate GC-MS method was developed that allows both mass spectrometric and chromatographic discrimination of the six aromatic positional isomers of trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA). Regardless of the trifluoroacetyl (TFA) derivatization, chromatographic separation of all the investigated isomers was achieved by using DB-5 ms capillary columns (30 m x 0.32 mm i.d.), with run times less than 15 min. However, the mass spectra of the nonderivatized TMAs, except 2,4,6-trimethoxyamphetmine (TMA-6), showed insufficient difference for unambiguous discrimination. On the other hand, the mass spectra of the TFA derivatives of the six isomers exhibited fragments with significant intensity differences, which allowed the unequivocal identification of all the aromatic positional isomers investigated in the present study. This GC-MS technique in combination with TFA derivatization, therefore, is a powerful method to discriminate these isomers, especially useful to distinguish the currently controlled 3,4,5-trimethoxyamphetmine (TMA-1) and 2,4,5-trimethoxyamphetmine (TMA-2) from other uncontrolled TMAs.
Forensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18, Hommachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0053, Japan. k_zaitsu_fsl_opp@ybb.ne.jp
Kei
K
Zaitsu
Munehiro
M
Katagi
Hiroe
H
Kamata
Tooru
T
Kamata
Noriaki
N
Shima
Akihiro
A
Miki
Tatsunori
T
Iwamura
Hitoshi
H
Tsuchihashi
D000662:Amphetamines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000662:Amphetamines; D015198:Designer Drugs; C521830:2,4,5-trimethoxyamphetamine