Chromatographic and mass spectral studies on methoxymethcathinones related to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

• NCJ Number: 308542
• Journal: Journal of Chromatographic Science Volume: 44 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2006 Pages: 155-161
• Author(s): Tamer Awad; C. Randall Clark; Jack DeRuiter
• Date Published: March 2006
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-IJ-CX-K140
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Differentiation of MDMA from other Methamphetamines of Mass Spectral Equivalence

Annotation

This paper discusses chromatographic and mass spectral studies on methoxymethcathinones.

Abstract

This study found that differentiation of methoxymethcathinones by mass spectrometry was only possible after formation of the perfluoroacyl derivatives, pentafluoropropionylamides (PFPA), and heptafluorobutrylamides (HFBA). Gas chromatographic separation on nonpolar stationary phases successfully resolved the three methcathinones from 2,3- and 3,4-MDMA as the PFPA and HFBA derivatives. The methoxymethcathinones are uniquely regioisomeric with the controlled drug substance 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (3,4-MDMA) or Ecstacy. The various isomeric forms of the methoxymethcathinones have mass spectra essentially equivalent to 3,4-MDMA. They all have a molecular weight of 193 and major fragment ions in their electron ionization mass spectra at m/z 58 and 135/136. (Published Abstract Provided)