Synthesis, full chemical characterisation and development of validated methods for the quantification of the components found in the evolved "legal high" NRG-2

  • J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2012 Mar 5:61:122-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2011.11.004.
Osama I G Khreit  1 ,  Craig Irving ,  Elke Schmidt ,  John A Parkinson ,  Niamh Nic Daeid ,  Oliver B Sutcliffe
Affiliations
  • 1. Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK.
PMID: 22169465 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2011.11.004
Abstract

The recent global increase in the abuse of 4'-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) and related compounds has developed a requirement for full chemical characterisation of these products. This work presents full synthetic and chemical characterisation data for the hydrobromide salts of two mephedrone derivatives: 4'-methyl-N-ethylcathinone (4-MEC) and 4'-methyl-N-benzylcathinone (4-MBC) which have been identified in samples of the "legal high" NRG-2. The first fully validated chromatographic methods for the detection and quantitative analysis of these substances both in their pure form and in the presence of a number of common adulterants used in illicit drug manufacture is also reported.

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