THE CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYCATHINONE (MDCATH) HOMOLOGS

In the past 35 years, a wide variety of illicit drugs have appeared in the clandestine market. Many of these compounds are based on the stru cture of amphetamine (1-phenyl-2-aminopropane) to which various functi onal or structural groups have been added. Previous modifications to t he amphetamine molecule include addition of a methylenedioxy bridge to give 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, and attachment of a beta-keto oxy gen to yield cathinone. A chemical synthesis integrating the salient f unctional/structural groups of these two classes of amphetamine analog s results in manufacture of methylenedioxycathinone (MDCATH). In each instance, N-alkylation of these analogs provides a series of homologs. Furthermore, many of these analogs/homologs meet several criteria whi ch typically support the clandestine laboratory synthesis of novel ill icit drugs ('designer drugs'). The MDCATH analogs represent a potentia lly new series of 'designer drugs' whose chemical characteristics have not previously been reported. Appropriate selection of analytical, ch emical and physical tests will enable rapid identification of these an alogs by a comparative analysis using the data provided. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.