title: Discrimination of cathinone regioisomers, sold as 'legal highs', by Raman spectroscopy.
abstract: The discrimination of a cross section of cathinone regioisomers, sold as 'legal highs', using Raman spectroscopy, is reported here. Mephedrone and flephedrone were identified in 'legal high' products sold in Irish head shops, and their 2, 3 and 4-isomers were synthesized as reference standards. The 3,4-methylenedioxy substituted cathinones, methylone, butylone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), were also identified in 'legal highs' and their 2,3-isomers were synthesized for comparison. In addition, alpha- and beta-naphyrone were synthesized. Raman spectra of all the isomers were obtained using far-red excitation (785 nm) and it was found possible to discriminate the isomers of each substituted cathinone. In addition, Raman spectra were also recorded for a number of head shop products and, by comparison with the reference standards, correct isomer assignment for 4-mephedrone, 3-flephedrone, 3,4-methylone, 3,4-butylone, 3,4-MDPV, alpha-naphyrone and beta-naphyrone was achieved, thus providing a non-destructive, high-throughput and minimal sample preparation technique for the discrimination of such drug isomers.
authors.affiliation: Focas Research Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland; School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000737:chemistry*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D007536:Isomerism; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D010422:Pentanones / Q000737:chemistry; D011427:Propiophenones / Q000737:chemistry; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: C509270:1-naphthalen-2-yl-2-pyrrolidin-1-ylpentan-1-one; D000470:Alkaloids; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010422:Pentanones; D011427:Propiophenones; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D008694:Methamphetamine; C023665:cathinone; C548233:mephedrone; C578181:4-fluoromethcathinone; C400939:methylone
keywords: MDPV; Raman; flephedrone; mephedrone; methylone; naphyrone