ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 22

Isolation, Identification, and Origin of Three Previously Unknown Congeners in Illicit Cocaine
Hummelen, JC
Senior research chemist, Laboratory for Organic Chemistry, University of Groningen,

Ensing, JG
University Centre for Pharmacy, University of Groningen,

(Received 2 February 1991; accepted 9 April 1991)

Abstract

Three previously unknown, overlooked, or perhaps wrongly identified impurities in illicit cocaine seized in the Netherlands Antilles are traced by various combinations of chromatographic and extraction methods. Once isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography, the compounds are identified as norcocaine, N-benzoylnorecgnonine methyl ester, and N-formyl norcocaine. Their presence in the illicit cocaine samples is explained as a result of the permanganate bleaching procedure that is nowadays routinely performed as part of the illegal production protocol.

Keywords:
toxicology, cocaine, impurities, chromatographic analysis, congeners, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance

Paper ID: JFS13191J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13191J
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