IDENTIFICATION OF N-ACETYLMETHAMPHETAMINE IN A SAMPLE OF ILLICITLY SYNTHESIZED METHAMPHETAMINE

Analysis of illicit methamphetamine samples revealed the presence of a hitherto unreported impurity. This was identified as N-acetylmethamph etamine by synthesis and GC-MS. This impurity is believed to arise by transesterification of methamphetamine during reflux with propyl aceta te. Other circumstantial evidence and intelligence data indicate that propyl acetate was used to increase yields of methamphetamine hydrochl oride by azeotropic removal of water remaining after salt formation wi th aqueous hydrochloric acid.