N,N‐Diformylmescaline: A novel analogue of mescaline detected in Queensland
Drug Testing and Analysis October 17, 2022 Ryan Gallagher, Maddison G. Mclaughlin, Karen Blakey et al. 2 citations
A novel analogue of mescaline, N,N-diformylmescaline, was identified in two unrelated drug seizures in Australia. A three-step synthesis from 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylacetic acid was developed, but purification was difficult because the compound degrades in solution. Analysis by LC–MS showed instability under acidic and basic conditions, breaking down first to N-formylmescaline and then to mescaline when dissolved in hydrochloric acid for an extended period, suggesting it may act as a prodrug for mescaline. The paper presents GC–MS, NMR, and FTIR data for the seized compound, along with synthesis details and stability studies.