Screening of "spice" herbal mixtures: From high-field to low-field proton NMR

Forensic Sci Int. 2017 Oct:279:88-95. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.08.006. Epub 2017 Aug 12.

Abstract

Forty one samples of herbal spices intended to be introduced into the European market and seized by the French customs were analysed with high-field 1H NMR. Nine synthetic cannabinoids (MAM-2201, JWH-073, JWH-210, JWH-122, JWH-081, JWH-250, UR-144, XLR-11 and AKB-48-5F) were detected and quantified. The ability of a compact benchtop low-field NMR spectrometer for a rapid screening of the content of herbal blends was then successfully explored for the first time. Even if low-field 1H NMR spectra are much less resolved than high-field spectra, we demonstrate that they provide valuable clues on the chemical structures of synthetic cannabinoids with the detection of some typical signals.

Keywords: Low-field NMR; Quantitative NMR; Spice; Synthetic cannabinoids.

MeSH terms

  • Adamantane / analogs & derivatives
  • Adamantane / chemistry
  • Anisoles / chemistry
  • Cannabinoids / chemistry*
  • Designer Drugs / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Indazoles / chemistry
  • Indoles / chemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Naphthalenes / chemistry

Substances

  • (1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)(2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropyl)methanone
  • (4-methoxy-1-naphthalenyl)(1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)methanone
  • 1-(1- pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-2-(2-methoxyphenyl)ethanone
  • 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-3-(4-methyl-1-naphthoyl)indole
  • 4-ethylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone
  • Anisoles
  • Cannabinoids
  • Designer Drugs
  • Indazoles
  • Indoles
  • N-(1-adamantyl)-1-pentylindazole-3-carboxamide
  • Naphthalenes
  • (4-methyl-1-naphthyl)-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone
  • JWH-073
  • XLR-11
  • Adamantane