Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy, MDMA)

Forensic electrochemistry: simultaneous voltammetric detection of MDMA and its fatal counterpart “Dr Death” (PMA)

“…Fig. SI-2 † shows the voltammograms for the SPE in (A) 500 mg mL À1 PMA/PBS, (B) 500 mg mL À1 MDMA/PBS and (C) 500 mg mL À1 PMA + 250 mg mL À1 MDMA/PBS (pH 7) over a range of pH (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). It can be seen that the oxidative peak exhibits a potential at more negative offset to regions with increasing pH (acid to basic) and a fall in current values of the oxidative peak at basic pH with a linear relationship for PMA of (E p /V ¼ À0.03 V per pH + 1.27 V; R 2 ¼ 0.945) with a gradient of 28.30 mV per pH that value is close to that expected for a 1 proton and 2 electron process (30 mV per pH unit at 25 C), for MDMA to (E p /V ¼ À0.02 V per pH + 1.00 V; R 2 ¼ 0.988) with a gradient of 20.50 mV per pH which is close to that expected for a 1 proton and 3 electron process (20 mV per pH unit at 25 C) and MDMA/PMA (E p /V ¼ À0.02 V per pH + 1.01 V; R 2 ¼ 0.978)/(E p /V ¼ À0.03 V per pH + 1.34 V; R 2 ¼ 0.993) sustaining the response of individually analysed analytes.…”

“…3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Scheme 1) is a synthetic entactogen which shares a structural similarity to methamphetamine and acts as a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant producing mood enhancement, increased energy and other empathetic effects by increasing the intra-synaptic concentrations of the key neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norephinephrine. [1][2][3][4][5] MDMA was rst synthesised by Merck in 1912 as a potential appetite suppressant, and over the next seventy years, a number of researchers explored the psychedelic properties of MDMA with little success. 6 During the 1970s and 80s MDMA surfaced on the recreational drugs market, its widespread abuse and potential long-term health effects led many countries to prohibit its possession, supply and manufacture.…”