title: Analysis of a new drug of abuse: cathinone derivative 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)pentan-1-one.
abstract: Recently, novel psychoactive drugs for human abuse such as amphetamines, phenethylamines, benzofuries, and tryptamines, cathinones have gained high popularity. These designer drugs are mainly sold via online stores as "bath salts" and are labeled "not for human consumption." Due to the novelty of the compounds, only a little information about pharmacology, toxicology, and the long-term damage they may cause is available. Moreover, there are only few analytical methods for their identification and analysis. Among new cathinone derivatives, 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(ethylamino)pentan-1-one (DL-4662), became available via an internet shop. A sample of this compound was purchased and investigated. The first aim of our study was an identity check by NMR spectroscopy and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. As many of the recreational drugs are chiral and are mainly sold as racemates, a further goal of our research was enantioseparation by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection, to prove whether DL-4662 was traded enantiomerically pure or as racemic mixture. Both chiral separation methods showed the presence of a racemate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria; Research Center, Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH, Inffeldgasse, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Weiß
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taschwer
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kunert
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D015198:Designer Drugs; D013287:Illicit Drugs; C023665:cathinone
keywords: Cathinone derivatives; Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry; High-performance liquid chromatography; Illicit drugs of abuse