Citation

Kavanagh P, O'Brien J, Power JD, Talbot B, McDermott SD. Drug Test. Anal. 2013; 5(5): 291-305.

Affiliation

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. pierce.kavanagh@tcd.ie

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/dta.1373

PMID

22641432

Abstract

The ring-substituted cathinone - mephedrone - has gained popularity among recreational drug users over the past several years. It is generally consumed orally or by snorting but reports indicate that it is also ingested by vaporization/inhalation. This study examines the pyrolysis products produced by heating mephedrone under using simulated 'meth pipe' conditions. Thirteen pyrolysis products were identified, the major ones being iso-mephedrone, 4-methylpropiophenone, 4-methylphenylacetone, two pyrazine derivatives formed by dimerization of mephedrone, N-methylated mephedrone (N,N,4-trimethylcatinone), two hydroxylated oxidation products and a diketone. Other minor products formed were identified as 4-methylacetophenone, two α-chloro ketones and N-methylated iso-mephedrone.

Language: en