title: Synthesis, full chemical characterisation and development of validated methods for the quantification of the components found in the evolved "legal high" NRG-2.
abstract: The recent global increase in the abuse of 4'-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) and related compounds has developed a requirement for full chemical characterisation of these products. This work presents full synthetic and chemical characterisation data for the hydrobromide salts of two mephedrone derivatives: 4'-methyl-N-ethylcathinone (4-MEC) and 4'-methyl-N-benzylcathinone (4-MBC) which have been identified in samples of the "legal high" NRG-2. The first fully validated chromatographic methods for the detection and quantitative analysis of these substances both in their pure form and in the presence of a number of common adulterants used in illicit drug manufacture is also reported.
authors.affiliation: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK.
authors.forename: Osama I G
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Khreit
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nic Daeid
authors.forename: Oliver B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; C106766:NRG2 protein, human; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D008694:Methamphetamine; C548233:mephedrone