NCJ Number
133618
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 36 Issue: 6 Dated: (November 1991) Pages: 1666-1687
Date Published
1991
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Three previously unknown, overlooked, or perhaps wrongly identified impurities in illicit cocaine seized in the Netherlands Antilles are traced by various combinations of chromatographic and extraction methods.
Abstract
Gas chromatography analysis of unadulterated illicit cocaine base samples usually showed the dominating presence of cocaine, frequently accompanied by very small but variable amounts of congeners. By using reference substances, the presence of cocaine, tropacocaine, anhydromethylecgonine, and trans-cinnamoylcocaine could be easily established. Three unknown substances identified in the chromatogram were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. They were subsequently identified as norcocaine, N-benzoylnorecgnonine methyl ester, and N-formyl norcocaine. Their presence in the illicit cocaine samples is explained as a result of the permanganate bleaching procedure that is routinely performed as part of the illegal production protocol. 49 references and 12 figures (Author abstract modified)