Chiral and stable isotope analysis of synthetic cathinones

Tai, S. and Morrison, C. (2017) Chiral and stable isotope analysis of synthetic cathinones. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 86, pp. 251-262. (doi: 10.1016/j.trac.2016.11.008)

Abstract

In the past decade synthetic cathinones have appeared in drug markets worldwide. Chiral analysis can provide information on relative enantiomeric abundances of synthetic cathinones in their drug products, potentially giving a signature of these products and hence linking the products or excluding them from possible sources. Additionally, due to natural variations of relative stable isotopic abundances of elements, stable isotope analysis of synthetic cathinone drug products provides the stable isotopic signature of the products and hence also has potential to provide additional information for the purpose of drug intelligence. Therefore, both molecular (chirality) and physicochemical (relative stable isotopic abundances) properties are important for forensic chemists to investigate. Chiral and isotope ratio mass spectrometric analysis are becoming increasingly important to forensic chemists and therefore this review will focus on an overview of these techniques applied to the synthetic cathinones.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Morrison, Dr Calum and Tai, Sherlock
• Authors: Tai, S., and Morrison, C.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Trends in Analytical Chemistry
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0165-9936
• ISSN (Online): 1879-3142
• Published Online: 25 November 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
• First Published: First published in Trends in Analytical Chemistry 86: 251-262
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy