ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 7

The Synthetic Drug 3-Methylfentanyl: Identification and Quantitation of Powdered Samples
Winek, CL
Director and chief toxicologist, Allegheny County Department of Laboratories, PA

Esposito, FM
Director of toxicology, Roche Biomedical Laboratories, GA

(Received 16 December 1989; accepted 26 February 1990)

Abstract

Paraphernalia, residue in plastic bag corners, and powdered street samples analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) revealed the presence of cis and trans isomers of 3-methylfentanyl (3-MF). The isomers were differentiated by their retention times and by the smaller abundance ratios of ions at m/z 160 and 203 to the base ion of 259 for the more stable trans isomer.

Quantitation of powdered samples was accomplished using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer with a HP5 column (25 m by 0.20 mm) and ketamine as an internal standard. Two cut street samples revealed higher percentages of the more potent cis isomer (0.26 and 0.37%) than the trans isomer (0.15 and 0.16%). With an average purity of 0.47% (4.7 µg/mg), about 100 µg of 3-MF would be present in a typical 20-mg packet, in comparison with 2000 µg of heroin with an average street composition of 10%. Since the potency of 3-MF is about 1000 times that of heroin, the 3-MF samples should have been diluted another 50-fold to contain about 0.1 µg/mg. The difficulty of cutting and inexperience with 3-MF contributed to the rash of overdoses in our area.

Keywords:
toxicology, 3-methylfentanyl, fentanyl, heroin, synthetic drugs

Paper ID: JFS13009J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13009J
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