Analytical Characterization of 3-MeO-PCP and 3-MMC in Seized Products and Biosamples: The Role of LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS and Solid Deposition GC-FTIR.
Frontiers in chemistry January 1, 2020 Giampietro Frison, Flavio Zancanaro, Samuela Frasson et al. 29 citations
Two powders seized by police were identified as the dissociative hallucinogen 3-MeO-PCP and the psychostimulant 3-MMC. Liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS) assigned the elemental formulas but could not distinguish between positional isomers of each drug. Solid deposition gas chromatography–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (sd-GC-FTIR) unambiguously differentiated the isomers by matching experimental infrared spectra against a library, confirming 3-MeO-PCP and 3-MMC. 3-MeO-PCP was also detected in blood and urine from both subjects, along with dozens of its phase I and phase II metabolites, using LC-HRAM-Orbitrap-MS after deproteinization. sd-GC-FTIR further confirmed 3-MeO-PCP in biological samples. The combined techniques provided full structural characterization without reference standards.