Published in:
Open Access
01-01-2019 | Short Communication
Crystal structures and other properties of ephedrone (methcathinone) hydrochloride, N-acetylephedrine and N-acetylephedrone
Authors:
Piotr Kuś, Hubert Hellwig, Joachim Kusz, Maria Książek, Marcin Rojkiewicz, Aleksander Sochanik
Published in:
Forensic Toxicology
|
Issue 1/2019
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Abstract
Purpose
Three compounds obtained from ephedrine were identified and characterized by various instrumental analytical methods. Ephedrone (methcathinone) hydrochloride and its fundamental derivatives N-acetylephedrine and N-acetylephedrone were analyzed as precursors of a cathinone derivative.
Methods
The obtained samples were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography.
Results
The three compounds were confirmed as: N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (methcathinone) hydrochloride, N-acetyl-N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (cathinone derivative), and N-acetyl-N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-ol (acetyl derivative of ephedrine).
Conclusions
X-ray crystallography is especially useful for identifying the new designer drugs and their different precursor forms.