HR-MAS NMR for rapid identification of illicit substances in tablets and blotter papers seized by police department

Abstract

Illicit substances found in blotter papers and tablets seized by police are traditionally identified and characterized from extracts of these materials. However, the procedures involved in extraction stages can result in artifacts and even contamination of the samples to be analyzed. On the other hand, high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HR-MAS NMR) is a technique that requires no pretreatment steps, enabling direct analysis of the material, including the analysis of new illegal synthetic psychoactive substances. This study presents and discusses applications of the HR-MAS NMR in the analysis of tablets and blotter papers seized. Additional analysis in solution of the extracts of these materials was performed to compare the obtained spectral resolution signals. The results demonstrated that the HR-MAS NMR allowed the rapid identification of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone (methylone), 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB) and 2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25B-NBOMe) in samples of tablets and blotter papers seized in Goiás State, Brazil.