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Isolation and characterization of a newly identified impurity in methamphetamine synthesized via reductive amination of 1‐phenyl‐2‐propanone (P2P) made from phenylacetic acid/lead (II) acetate
Author(s) -
Toske Steven G.,
McConnell Jennifer B.,
Brown Jaclyn L.,
Tuten Jennifer M.,
Miller Erin E.,
Phillips Monica Z.,
Vazquez Etienne R.,
Lurie Ira S.,
Hays Patrick A.,
Guest Elizabeth M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
drug testing and analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.065
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1942-7611
pISSN - 1942-7603
DOI - 10.1002/dta.1814
Subject(s) - reductive amination , phenylacetic acid , chemistry , methamphetamine , amine gas treating , impurity , amination , hydrochloride , medicinal chemistry , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , medicine
A trace processing impurity found in certain methamphetamine exhibits was isolated and identified as trans‐N ‐methyl‐4‐methyl‐5‐phenyl‐4‐penten‐2‐amine hydrochloride ( 1 ). It was determined that this impurity was produced via reductive amination of trans ‐4‐methyl‐5‐phenyl‐4‐penten‐2‐one ( 4 ), which was one of a cluster of related ketones generated during the synthesis of 1‐phenyl‐2‐propanone (P2P) from phenylacetic acid and lead (II) acetate. This two‐step sequence resulted in methamphetamine containing elevated levels of 1 . In contrast, methamphetamine produced from P2P made by other methods produced insignificant (ultra‐trace or undetectable) amounts of 1 . These results confirm that 1 is a synthetic marker compound for the phenylacetic acid and lead (II) acetate method. Analytical data for 1 and 4 , and a postulated mechanism for the production of 4 , are presented. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.