Analysis of Blotter Papers Employed in the Commercialization of New Hallucinogenic Substances of the 2,5-Dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl) Phenethylamine Series Seized in the City of Bogotá by Applying Gas Chromatography Coupled to a Selective Mass Ion Trap Detector

Abstract

In recent years, the production, distribution and consumption of so-called new psychoactive substances, such as synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, and phenethylamines, have increased worldwide. The present work reports the identification of such substances found in samples of blotter papers that were seized in the city of Bogotá in accordance with the analytical method implemented in the chemistry laboratories of the Attorney General of Colombia. Using gas chromatography coupled to a selective mass ion trap detector, the presence of phenethylamine derivatives, mainly from the 2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl) phenethylamine series, was detected. Among them, 2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)) phenethylamine, 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)) phenethylamine, and 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)) phenethylamine (m/z 150, 121, 91) were prevalent. The 2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl) phenethylamine series derivatives correspond to proved powerful hallucinogens that have not yet been subjected to international control and supervision.

Seized Blotters Containing One Regioisomer of 25I-NBOMe

“…Figure 4 shows the GC-MS mass spectrum of the ingredient at the retention time (RT) of 17.27 min. The peaks in the mass spectrum were identified by carefully comparing the underlying mass spectra reported in the literatures [11]. The peak corresponding to the molecular ion, M=427 was contained in the spectrum, though the intensity is very low, which is common in phenethylamines and hinders proper identification of a substance.…”

Interpol review of controlled substances 2016–2019

“…“Novel Psychoactive Substances” (NPSs): 2016 Overview of NPSs: chemistry, pharmacology, metabolism, and detectability of amphetamine derivatives with modified ring systems [ 1464 ]; overview of emerging and NPSs in the United Kingdom [ 1465 ]; qualitative distribution of drugs of abuse in 162 seized materials confiscated in the Italy after internet purchase between 2013 and 2015 [ 1466 ]; TLC screening method and GC-MS quantification of the active components for seized solid NPS samples, both in their pure form and in the presence of common adulterants [ 1467 ]; an overview of synthetic drugs and newly emerging substances [ 1468 ]; review of NPS in Italy and the distribution of drugs in seized materials analyzed in an Italian forensic laboratory in the period 2013–2015 [ 1466 ]; 22 recreational drug samples analyzed by GC-MS, HRMS, and NMR resulted in the detection of three NBOMe drugs 25H–NBOMe, 25D-NBOMe, and 25E-NBOMe, three other phenethylamine-type drugs 25I-NBMD, RH34, and escaline, eight cathinone derivatives 5-DBFPV, 3,4-MDPHP, 3,4-dimethyl-NEB, 3,4-dimethyl-alpha-ethylaminopentiophenone, 3,4-dimethyl-alpha-PVP, 4F-alpha-ethylaminopentiophenone, bk-IVP, and bk-IBP, and a phencyclidine derivative MMXE; 25I–NBOMe, ADB-CHIMINACA, 5F-ADB, and butane-1,4-diol were also detected in some samples [ 1281 ]; review of recent publications on NPSs [ 1469 ]; LC-MS/MS screening method for 143 NPS 143 compounds from different groups (number of compounds): cathinones (36), phenethylamines (26), tryptamines (18), piperazines (9), piperidines (2), synthetic cannabinoids (34), arylalkylamines (7), arylcyclohexylamines (3), aminoindanes (2), and other drugs (6) [ 1470 ]; GC-MS identification of NPS found in seized blotter papers [ 1471 ]; identification of two NPSs, a phenethylamine derivative 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)methyl] ethanamine (25I-NB 34MD, 1) and a piperazine derivative 1-(3,4-difluoromethylenedioxybenzyl)piperazine (DF-MDBP, 2), were identified in illicit products using LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR [ 1472 ]; 2017 Forensic in Silico Study of NPS: Amphetamines and Cathinones [ 1473 ]; NPSs by UPLC-TOF-MS [ 1474 ]; NPSs: types, mechanisms of action, and effects [ 1475 ]; Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction (PALME) paired with UHPLC-MS for screening NPSs [ 1476 ]; multidisciplinary approach comprising LC-MS/MS, GC-MS and NMR analysis for the identification of three NPS including 1-(benzofuran-5-yl)-N-methylpropan2- amine, 2-amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl) ethan-1-one (bk-2C–B), and 3-(2-aminopropyl) indole (a-methyltryptamine) in seized materials [ 1477 ]; enantioseparation method for chiral separation of NPS compounds including cathinones, amphetamines, benzofurans, thiophenes, phenidine and phenidate derivatives [ 1478 ]; study of chemical composition and price of NPS compounds purchased online in 5 different European countries [ 1479 ]; PLS-DA and ATR-FTIR was developed to identify NPS drugs in blotter papers [ 1480 ]; revi...…”