title: The role of diode array ultraviolet detection for the identification of synthetic cathinones.
abstract: The utility of diode array ultraviolet (UV) detection for aiding in the identification of synthetic cathinones, including different sub-classes and positional isomers is presented. For 35 synthetic cathinones, unique UV spectra are obtained for seven sub-classes, including mostly beta ketones, where position and type of substitution on benzene rings give rise to differences in UV maxima and relative intensity of the spectral bands. This aspect is key to distinguishing positional isomers that contain differences in R substitution (mono and di) around the benzene ring, which provides complementary information to electron ionization mass spectrometry, where the latter technique cannot distinguish between these types of positional isomers. In addition, it is possible to ascertain the substitution position based on the UV spectra. For ten sets of positional isomers, it was possible to distinguish most of the positional isomers within a set. For ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) versus reversed phase ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), there was at least a 10 nm blue shift in UV maximum (shift to shorter wavelengths). This highlights the importance of taking in account the effect of mobile phase on the UV maximum when performing method development in UHPSFC. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Foxhall Road, NW, Somers Hall, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Walter F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Foxhall Road, NW, Somers Hall, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6693-0361
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marginean
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Foxhall Road, NW, Somers Hall, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Foxhall Road, NW, Somers Hall, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Ira S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3844-5120
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lurie
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D025924:Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid / Q000379:methods; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007536:Isomerism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D015198:Designer Drugs; C023665:cathinone
keywords: UHPSFC; diode array UV detection; synthetic cathinones