25C-NBOMe--new potent hallucinogenic substance identified on the drug market.
Dariusz Zuba, Karolina Sekuła, Agnieszka Buczek
Forensic science international April 10, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.08.027 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA new hallucinogenic substance, 25C-NBOMe, was identified in blotter papers seized from the drug market using multiple analytical methods. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed a spectrum similar to other 25-NBOMe compounds, with dominant ions at m/z=150, 121, and 91. Derivatization helped determine the molecular mass, and liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) confirmed the exact molecular mass and chemical formula. MS/MS experiments showed the substance is an N-(2-methoxy)benzyl derivative of 2C-C. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) corroborated the identity, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provided final structural elucidation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Analytical chemistry study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Blotter papers seized from the drug market |
| Keywords | Drug identification Substance identification Chemical identification Drug analysis Compound identification |
| Citations | 128 |
| Key finding | The seized blotter papers contained the hallucinogenic substance 25C-NBOMe, identified through a comprehensive analytical approach including GC-MS, LC-QTOF-MS, FTIR, and NMR. |
Abstract
This publication reports analytical properties of a new hallucinogenic substance identified in blotter papers seized from the drug market, namely 25C-NBOMe [2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine]. The identification was based on results of comprehensive study including several analytical methods, i.e., GC-EI-MS (without derivatization and after derivatization with TFAA), LC-ESI-QTOF-MS, FTIR and NMR. The GC-MS spectrum of 25C-NBOMe was similar to those obtained for other representatives of the 25-NBOMe series, with dominant ions observed at m/z=150, 121 and 91. Fragment ions analogic to those in 2C-C (4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxy-β-phenylethanamine) were also observed, but their intensities were low. Derivatization allowed the determination of molecular mass of the investigated substance. The exact molecular mass and chemical formula were confirmed by LC-QTOF-MS experiments and fragmentation pattern under electrospray ionization was determined. The MS/MS experiments confirmed that the investigated substance was N-(2-methoxy)benzyl derivative of 2C-C. The substance was also characterized by FTIR spectroscopy to corroborate its identity. Final elucidation of the structure was performed by NMR spectroscopy.