Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Identification and characterization of the new psychoactive substance 3-fluoroethamphetamine in seized material

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Forensic Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

An amphetamine-type new psychoactive substance was identified in a fine white yellowish powder from a seizure control held in Spain in July 2017.

Methods

Seized sample was deeply characterized by standard and high-performance analytical techniques like attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–electron ionization–mass spectrometry, high-resolution mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and ion mobility spectrometry.

Results

The seized sample was identified as 3-fluoroethamphetamine hydrochloride. To our knowledge this is the first report dealing with identification and characterization of 3-fluoroethamphetamine.

Conclusions

Characterization data were compiled in order to provide the scientific community with sufficient information to allow a quick and accurate determination of 3-fluoroethamphetamine in future seizures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Carroll I, Lewin AH, Mascarella SW, Seltzman HH, Reddy PA (2012) Designer drugs: a medicinal chemistry perspective. Ann NY Acad Sci 1248:18–38

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2017) Market analysis of synthetic drugs: amphetamine-type stimulants, new psychoactive substances, World Drug Report 2017. https://www.unodc.org/wdr2017/field/Booklet_4_ATSNPS.pdf. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  3. Sitte HH, Freissmuth M (2015) Amphetamines, new psychoactive drugs and the monoamine transporter cycle. Trends Pharmacol Sci 36:41–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ross EA, Watson M, Goldberger MDB (2011) ‘Bath salts’ intoxication. N Engl J Med 365:967–968

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rösner P, Quednow B, Girreser U, Junge T (2005) Isomeric fluoro-methoxy-phenylalkylamines: a new series of controlled-substance analogues (designer drugs). Forensic Sci Int 148:143–156

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Tessel RE, Woods JH (1974) Structural relationship between meta-substituted N-ethylamphetamines and self-administration in rhesus monkeys. Pharmacologist 16:142

    Google Scholar 

  7. Tessel RE, Woods JH, Counsell RE, Lu M (1975) Structure-activity relationships between meta-substituted N-ethylamphetamines and locomotor activity in mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 192:310–318

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Tessel RE, Woods JH (1978) Meta substituted N-ethylamphetamine self injection responding in the rhesus monkey: structure-activity relationships. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 205:274–281

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Energy control website (2016) https://energycontrol.org/creditos-de-la-web.html. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  10. U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division (2012) Title 21 United States Code (USC) Controlled Substances Act Subchapter I—Control and Enforcement Part B—Authority to Control; Standards and Schedules. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/21usc/812.htm. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  11. Scientific working group for the analysis of seized drugs (SWGDRUG) (2017) IR library. http://www.swgdrug.org/ir.htm. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  12. Scientific working group for the analysis of seized drugs (SWGDRUG) (2017). http://www.swgdrug.org. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  13. Maurer HH, Pfleger K, Weber AA (2007) Mass spectral and GC data of drugs, poisons, pesticides, pollutants, and their metabolites, 3rd edn. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  14. Heacock RA, Marion L (1956) The infrared spectra of secondary amines and their salts. Can J Chem 34:1782–1795

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Conley RT (1972) Infrared spectroscopy, 2nd edn. Allyn and Bacon Inc., Boston

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sachs S, Woo F (2007) A detailed mechanistic fragmentation analysis of methamphetamine and select regioisomers by GC/MS. J Forensic Sci 52:308–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Scientific working group for the analysis of seized drugs (SWGDRUG) (2013) Drug monographs. http://www.swgdrug.org/monographs.htm. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  18. Keller T, Schneider A, Tutsch-Bauer E, Jaspers J, Aderjan R, Skopp G (1999) Ion mobility spectrometry for the detection of drugs in case of forensic and criminalistic relevance. Int J Ion Mobility Spectrom 2:22–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Miki A, Keller T, Regenscheit P, Dirnhofer R, Tatsuno M, Katagi M, Nishikawa M, Tsuchihashi H (1997) Application of ion mobility spectrometry to the rapid screening of methamphetamine incorporated in hair. J Chromatogr B 692:319–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Leech DP (2015) A measure of domestic security: economic benefits of NIST’s support of public safety and security (GCR 15-917-37), National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce. http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.GCR.15-917-37. Accessed 15 Jan 2018

  21. Armenta S, Garrigues S, de la Guardia M, Brassier J, Alcalà M, Blanco M, Perez-Alfonso C, Galipienso N (2015) Detection and characterization of emerging psychoactive substances by ion mobility spectrometry. Drug Test Anal 7:280–289

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CTQ-2014-52841-P). We also acknowledge the technical support from M. Sales Galletero and Isabel Solana from the SCSIE of the University of Valencia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, 50th Dr. Moliner St, 46100, Burjassot, Spain

    Ángela Yanini, Sergio Armenta, Francesc A. Esteve-Turrillas & Miguel de la Guardia

  2. Unidad de Inspección de Farmacia y Control de Drogas del Área de Sanidad de Valencia, Muelle de la aduana s/n, 46024, Valencia, Spain

    Ángela Yanini & Nieves Galipienso

Authors
  1. Ángela Yanini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sergio Armenta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francesc A. Esteve-Turrillas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nieves Galipienso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Miguel de la Guardia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesc A. Esteve-Turrillas.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial or other relations that could lead to a conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (PDF 158 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yanini, Á., Armenta, S., Esteve-Turrillas, F.A. et al. Identification and characterization of the new psychoactive substance 3-fluoroethamphetamine in seized material. Forensic Toxicol 36, 404–414 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-018-0416-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-018-0416-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation