PMID- 14640267
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20040204
LR  - 20191210
IS  - 0022-1198 (Print)
IS  - 0022-1198 (Linking)
VI  - 48
IP  - 6
DP  - 2003 Nov
TI  - Chemical profiling of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) tablets seized in 
      Hong Kong.
PG  - 1249-59
AB  - During 2000-2001, the Government Laboratory of Hong Kong received over 600,000 
      ecstasy tablets in more than 2,600 cases. Using GC-MS or FTIR, the major 
      amphetamine-type stimulants were identified, and the samples were categorized 
      into four groups containing: (1) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), (2) 
      methamphetamine (MA), (3) 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), or (4) 
      amphetamine. Our study revealed that in Hong Kong MDMA tablets have made up 98 
      and 71% of the total ecstasy tablets examined in 2000 and 2001, respectively. 
      Among the MDMA cases, 613 cases involving a total of 123,776 tablets in 2001 were 
      randomly selected, and their active ingredients, minor ingredients, and/or 
      impurities were studied using GC-MS and HPLC. Based on the chemical profiles, and 
      irrespective of their different physical characteristics, tablets obtained in 
      different seizures could be determined as to whether or not they could have come 
      from a common origin. The impurities detected in the MDMA tablets also served as 
      excellent chemical markers from which plausible synthetic route(s) of the MDMA 
      were inferred. Our study revealed that 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone 
      (MDP2P), 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanol (MDP), 
      3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylbenzylamine (MDB), piperonal and 
      N-formyl-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (N-formyl-MDMA) were the most common 
      impurities detected in MDMA tablets seized in Hong Kong. The finding of the 
      phosphate salt of MDMA is intriguing. Based on a presumptive color test, 
      spectroscopic data (FTIR/ESI-MS) and the percentage of MDMA content in a purified 
      phosphate salt of MDMA, the ratio of the phosphate to MDMA was determined to be 
      1:1, suggesting that the compound is a dihydrogen phosphate salt [i.e. 
      (HMDMA)H2PO4].
FAU - Cheng, Wing-Chi
AU  - Cheng WC
AD  - Forensic Science Division, Government Laboratory, 88 Chung Hau Street, Homantin 
      Government Offices, Homantin, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 
      People's Republic of China.
FAU - Poon, Nai-Leung
AU  - Poon NL
FAU - Chan, Man-Fai
AU  - Chan MF
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - United States
TA  - J Forensic Sci
JT  - Journal of forensic sciences
JID - 0375370
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
RN  - 0 (Illicit Drugs)
RN  - 0 (Tablets)
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
SB  - IM
MH  - Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
MH  - *Drug Contamination
MH  - Forensic Medicine/methods
MH  - Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
MH  - Hallucinogens/*analysis/chemistry
MH  - Hong Kong
MH  - Illicit Drugs/*analysis/chemistry
MH  - Molecular Structure
MH  - N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/*analysis/chemistry
MH  - Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
MH  - Tablets
EDAT- 2003/12/03 05:00
MHDA- 2004/02/05 05:00
CRDT- 2003/12/03 05:00
PHST- 2003/12/03 05:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2004/02/05 05:00 [medline]
PHST- 2003/12/03 05:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Forensic Sci. 2003 Nov;48(6):1249-59.