title: ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N HMBC, and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopic characterisation of seized flephedrone, cut with benzocaine.
abstract: Flephedrone (4-fluoromethcathinone, 4-FMC) was analysed using (1)H, (13)C, (15)N HMBC, and (19)F observe spectroscopy, gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID), and electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Analysis of four 4-FMC samples (from a Bristol nightclub in 2013) showed that they all contained benzocaine as the cutting agent present in different amounts from 5 to 12%. Using these methods, we successfully differentiated between flephedrone regioisomers and mephedrone in an analytical method validated for flephedrone as a substituted cathinone. The data show that these now illegal cathinone-derived stimulants (highs) are now being cut; users cannot be certain of the purity of the drug they are taking. Furthermore, there are risks from the pharmaceutically active cutting agents themselves.
authors: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors: Majdah R
authors: MR
authors: Alotaibi
authors: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors: Stephen M
authors: SM
authors: Husbands
authors: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. Electronic address: prsisb@bath.ac.uk.
authors: Ian S
authors: IS
authors: Blagbrough
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry; D001566:Benzocaine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D011427:Propiophenones / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D011427:Propiophenones; D008694:Methamphetamine; C023665:cathinone; C548233:mephedrone; C578181:4-fluoromethcathinone; D001566:Benzocaine
keywords: Amnesty bin; Benzocaine; Cathinone; Cutting agent; Mephedrone