Citation

Doughty D, Painter B, Pigou PE, Johnston MR. Forensic Sci. Int. 2016; 263: 55-66.

Affiliation

Flinders Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Flinders University, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia. Electronic address: Martin.Johnston@flinders.edu.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.03.034

PMID

27081790

Abstract

The synthesis of impurities detected in clandestinely manufactured Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) has emerged as more desirable than simple "fingerprint" profiling. We have been investigating the impurities formed when phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) 5, a key ATS precursor, is synthesised in three steps; an aldol condensation of benzaldehyde and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); a Baeyer-Villiger reaction; and ester hydrolysis. We have identified and selectively synthesised several impurities that may be used as route specific markers for this series of synthetic steps. Specifically these impurities are 3-methyl-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one 3, 2-methyl-1,5-diphenylpenta-1,4-diene-3-one 9, 2-(methylamino)-3-methyl-4-phenyl-3-butene 16, 2-(Methylamino)-3-methyl-4-phenylbutane 17, and 1-(methylamino)-2-methyl-1,5-diphenylpenta-4-ene-3-one 22.

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Language: en