Structural Identification of a Methyl Analog of Methaqualone via 2-Dimensional NMR Techniques

• NCJ Number: 141751
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 455-465
• Author(s): S A Angelos; D C Lankin; J A Meyers; J K Raney
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The ability to identify rapidly the general class of controlled substances and to determine the exact structure of a particular analog is an increasingly important task in forensic laboratories.

Abstract

The methaqualone analog described here was submitted as an exhibit to the Drug Enforcement Administration North Central Laboratory by a State laboratory; the sample was initially thought to be methaqualone free-base 1. Mass spectrometry and proton NMR spectroscopy (1-dimensional) were used to identify the analog. The results showed that the structural analog contained a second methyl group in the molecule, relative to methaqualone, and that the group was attached to the existing methyl-substituted penyl ring. When the proton 2-dimensional NMR techniques were applied, specifically the homonuclear shift correlation spectroscopy and 2-D NOE, the precise location of the methyl group in this unknown methaqualone analog was established and shown to have the structure 2. 9 figures, 2 tables, and 11 references