title: The ecstasy and the agony; compression studies of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
abstract: MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a Class A substance that is usually found in a tableted form. It is only observed in one orthorhombic polymorph under ambient conditions. It shows slight positional disorder around the methlyenedioxy ring which persists during compression up to 6.66 GPa. The crystal quality deteriorates above 6.66 GPa where the hydrostatic limit of the pressure-transmitting medium is exceeded. The structure undergoes anisotropic compression with the a-axis compressing the greatest (12% cf. 4 and 10% for the b- and c-axes, respectively). This is due to the pattern of the hydrogen bonding which acts like a spring and allows the compression along this direction.
authors: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland.
authors: Lauren E
authors: LE
authors: Connor
authors: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland.
authors: Amit
authors: A
authors: Delori
authors: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland.
authors: Ian B
authors: IB
authors: Hutchison
authors: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee, College of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland.
authors: Niamh
authors: N
authors: Nic Daeid
authors: School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, England.
authors: Oliver B
authors: OB
authors: Sutcliffe
authors: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, Scotland.
authors: Iain D H
authors: ID
authors: Oswald
mesh_terms: D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011208:Powders; D011312:Pressure
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
keywords: MDMA; compression; ecstasy; entactogen