Analytical data of designated substances (shitei-yakubutsu) controlled by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in Japan, part II: Color test and TLC

Abstract

Many psychotropic substances are readily available in Japan via the Internet. To avoid the spread of drug abuse, some drugs have been controlled as designated substances (Shitei-Yakubutsu) in Japan since 2007 by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law. Twenty-nine designated substances (classified as tryptamine, phenethylamine and piperazine types) were analyzed using color tests and TLC. The color tests were examined with the Marquis, Ehrlich, Simon's, Liebermann-Burehard's, and Mandelin reagents. The color of β-carbonyl- methylenedioxyphenetylamines produced by the Marquis reagent was yellow, and 4-halo-2,5-dimethoxy phenethylamines reacted with the Marquis reagent to a give deep yellow-green and/or a deep green color. Although all designated substances of the tryptamine type reacted with the Ehrlich reagent to give a brown color, only 1-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl) propan-2-amine (TMA-6) among the phenethylamines showed a red color on treatment with the reagent. However, 3,4,5-trimethoxy and 2,4,5-trimethoxy isomers of TMA-6 were not colored with the reagent. Thus, TMA-6 could be distinguished from isomers using the Ehrlich reagent. We also analyzed the designated substances with thin-layer chromatography developed with two different solvent conditions. All substances were detected by UV 254nm and an iodoplatinate reagent. These results suggest that color tests and TLC, followed by GC-MS and LC-MS analyses, can be used for preliminary identification of designated substances. © 2008 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.