Premium
Some new psychoactive substances: Precursor chemicals and synthesis‐driven end‐products
Author(s) -
Collins Michael
Publication year - 2011
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.315
Subject(s) - designer drug , synthetic cannabinoids , phenethylamines , mephedrone , tryptamines , cathinone , street drugs , business , chemistry , pharmacology , medicine , drug , biochemistry , receptor , cannabinoid , amphetamine , tryptamine , dopamine , endocrinology
Abstract This paper describes some of the new classes of ‘designer drugs’ being encountered today by forensic scientists and law enforcement agencies in Europe, the United States, and Australia. In particular, it concentrates on new cathinone derivatives, the tryptamines, new‐generation phenethylamines, and some of the synthetic cannabinoids. The synthetic approaches towards many of these designer drugs including a discussion of the chemical precursors used in the syntheses are presented. Many of today's so‐called designer drugs exist as a result of legitimate research into medical conditions and the natural product chemistry. A link between synthetic approaches published in the open scientific and medical literature and the exploitation of this research by clandestine manufacture of drugs for illicit purposes is drawn. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.