PMID- 25617761
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20151222
LR  - 20191210
IS  - 1872-6283 (Electronic)
IS  - 0379-0738 (Linking)
VI  - 248
DP  - 2015 Mar
TI  - Organic impurity profiling of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) 
      synthesised from catechol.
PG  - 140-7
LID - S0379-0738(14)00538-6 [pii]
LID - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.12.021 [doi]
AB  - This work examines the organic impurity profile of 
      3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that has been synthesised from catechol 
      (1,2-dihydroxybenzene), a common chemical reagent available in industrial 
      quantities. The synthesis of MDMA from catechol proceeded via the common MDMA 
      precursor safrole. Methylenation of catechol yielded 1,3-benzodioxole, which was 
      brominated and then reacted with magnesium allyl bromide to form safrole. Eight 
      organic impurities were identified in the synthetic safrole. Safrole was then 
      converted to 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone (MDP2P) using two synthetic 
      methods: Wacker oxidation (Route 1) and an isomerisation/peracid oxidation/acid 
      dehydration method (Route 2). MDMA was then synthesised by reductive amination of 
      MDP2P. Thirteen organic impurities were identified in MDMA synthesised via Route 
      1 and eleven organic impurities were identified in MDMA synthesised via Route 2. 
      Overall, organic impurities in MDMA prepared from catechol indicated that 
      synthetic safrole was used in the synthesis. The impurities also indicated which 
      of the two synthetic routes was utilised.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
FAU - Heather, Erin
AU  - Heather E
AD  - Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, 
      Australia.
FAU - Shimmon, Ronald
AU  - Shimmon R
AD  - Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, 
      Australia.
FAU - McDonagh, Andrew M
AU  - McDonagh AM
AD  - Centre for Forensic Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, 
      Australia. Electronic address: andrew.mcdonagh@uts.edu.au.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20141231
PL  - Ireland
TA  - Forensic Sci Int
JT  - Forensic science international
JID - 7902034
RN  - 0 (Catechols)
RN  - 0 (Illicit Drugs)
RN  - KE1SEN21RM (N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine)
RN  - LF3AJ089DQ (catechol)
RN  - RSB34337V9 (Safrole)
SB  - IM
MH  - Catechols/chemistry
MH  - Chromatography, Gas
MH  - *Drug Contamination
MH  - Forensic Toxicology
MH  - Illicit Drugs/*chemical synthesis
MH  - N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/*chemical synthesis
MH  - Safrole/chemistry
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - 3,4-Methylendioxymethamphetamine
OT  - Chemical profiling
OT  - Chemical synthesis
OT  - Illicit drugs
OT  - MDMA
OT  - Safrole
EDAT- 2015/01/27 06:00
MHDA- 2015/12/23 06:00
CRDT- 2015/01/25 06:00
PHST- 2014/06/23 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2014/12/18 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2014/12/19 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2015/01/25 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2015/01/27 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2015/12/23 06:00 [medline]
AID - S0379-0738(14)00538-6 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.12.021 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Forensic Sci Int. 2015 Mar;248:140-7. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.12.021. Epub 
      2014 Dec 31.