An unusual presentation of a customs importation seizure containing amphetamine, possibly synthesized by the APAAN-P2P-Leuckart route

John D Power; Michael G Barry; Kenneth R Scott; Pierce V Kavanagh

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.003

An unusual presentation of a customs importation seizure containing amphetamine, possibly synthesized by the APAAN-P2P-Leuckart route

Forensic Sci Int. 2014 Jan:234:e10-3. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.003. Epub 2013 Oct 14.

Authors

John D Power¹, Michael G Barry², Kenneth R Scott², Pierce V Kavanagh²

Affiliations

¹ Forensic Science Laboratory, Garda HQ, Dublin 8, Ireland; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. Electronic address: jdpower@fsl.gov.ie.
² Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.

PMID: 24183825
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.003

Abstract

During the analysis of an Irish customs seizure (14 packages each containing approximately one kilogram of a white wet paste) were analysed for the suspected presence of controlled drugs. The samples were found to contain amphetamine and also characteristic by-products including benzyl cyanide, phenylacetone (P2P), methyl-phenyl-pyrimidines, N-formylamphetamine, naphthalene derivatives and amphetamine dimers. The analytical results corresponded with the impurity profile observed and recently reported for the synthesis of 4-methylamphetamine from 4-methylphenylacetoacetonitrile [1]. The synthesis of amphetamine from alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN) was performed (via an acid hydrolysis and subsequent Leuckart reaction) and the impurity profile of the product obtained was compared to those observed in the customs seizure. Observations are made regarding the route specificity of these by-products.

Keywords: APAAN; Amphetamine; Amphetamine dimers; Benzyl cyanide; Formylamphetamine; Naphthalenes; P2P; Pryimidines; Synthetic route and route specific impurities in amphetamine synthesis.