GC-MS Studies on the Regioisomeric 2,3- and 3,4-Methylenedioxyphenethylamines Related to MDEA, MDMMA, and MBDB
Journal of Chromatographic Science May 1, 2007 A. L. Thigpen, J. Deruiter, Charles R. Clark 9 citations
Six regioisomeric methylenedioxyphenethylamines, including three known drugs of abuse (MDEA, MDMMA, MBDB) and their 2,3-methylenedioxy counterparts, have nearly identical mass spectra and cannot be distinguished by electron impact mass spectrometry alone. Differentiation requires derivatization to pentafluoropropionylamides (PFPA) or heptafluorobutrylamides (HFBA). Underivatized amines are not resolved on non-polar stationary phases but are separated on a more polar trifluoropropylmethyl polysiloxane (Rtx-200) or a permethylated beta-cyclodextran (Rtx-bDEX) column. The PFPA and HFBA derivatives of the 2,3-methylenedioxyphenethylamines elute before the corresponding 3,4-methylenedioxyphenethylamine derivatives on the Rtx-200 column.