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The identification and analytical characterization of 2,2′‐difluorofentanyl
Author(s) -
Liu Cuimei,
Li Tao,
Han Yu,
Hua Zhendong,
Jia Wei,
Qian Zhenhua
Publication year - 2018
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.2264
Subject(s) - chemistry , mass spectrometry , electron ionization , moiety , piperidine , electrospray ionization , fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance , designer drug , amide , ion , chromatography , stereochemistry , ionization , organic chemistry , psychology , drug , psychiatry
New psychoactive substances (NPS) have expanded their distribution and become widely available in the global market in recent years. The illicit use of fentanyl and its analogs has become an important worldwide concern linked to their high potency and risk of fatal overdose. This study describes the analytical characterization of a new fentanyl derivative N ‐(1‐(2‐fluorophenethyl)‐4‐piperidinyl)‐ N ‐(2‐fluorophenyl)propionamide (2,2′‐difluorofentanyl). Identification was based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight–mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QTOF–MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on analytical data for this compound. The most abundant fragment ion in the electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrum under collision‐induced dissociation (CID) mode was formed by the cleavage between the piperidine ring and the N ‐phenyl‐amide moiety of the protonated molecule. Two diagnostic ions in the electron ionization (EI) mass spectrum were formed by the loss of a tropylium ion (M‐91), and by the degradation of the piperidine ring and dissociate of the COC 2 H 5 moiety altogether, respectively.