Distinguishing two isomeric mephedrone substitutes with selective reagent ionisation mass spectrometry (SRI‐MS) |
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Authors: | Matteo Lanza W Joe Acton Simone Jürschik Philipp Sulzer Kostiantyn Breiev Alfons Jordan Eugen Hartungen Gernot Hanel Lukas Märk Chris A Mayhew Tilmann D Märk |
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Institution: | 1. IONICON Analytik GmbH., , 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;2. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, , Lancaster, LA1 4YQ UK;3. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, , Birmingham, B15 2TT UK;4. Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik, Leopold‐Franzens Universit?t Innsbruck, , 6020 Innsbruck, Austria |
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Abstract: | The isomers 4‐methylethcathinone and N‐ethylbuphedrone are substitutes for the recently banned drug mephedrone. We find that with conventional proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR‐MS), it is not possible to distinguish between these two isomers, because essentially for both substances, only the protonated molecules are observed at a mass‐to‐charge ratio of 192 (C12H18NO+). However, when utilising an advanced PTR‐MS instrument that allows us to switch the reagent ions (selective reagent ionisation) from H3O+ (which is commonly used in PTR‐MS) to NO+, O2+ and Kr+, characteristic product (fragment) ions are detected: C4H10N+ (72 Da) for 4‐methylethcathinone and C5H12N+ (86 Da) for N‐ethylbuphedrone; thus, selective reagent ionisation MS proves to be a powerful tool for fast detection and identification of these compounds. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Keywords: | SRI‐MS PTR‐MS mephedrone new psychoactive substances designer drugs |
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