METHCATHINONE Latest Revision: July 11, 2005

CH3

HN
CH3

1. SYNONYMS

CFR: Methcathinone

CAS #: Base: 5650-44-2

Hydrochloride: 49656-78-2

Other Names: N-methylcathinone

Methylcathinone
2-Methylamino-1-phenyl-1-propanone
-Methylaminopropiophenone
-N-methylaminopropiophenone
Monomethylpropion
Ephedrone
2-(Methylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-one

2. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL DATA

2.1. CHEMICAL DATA

Form Chemical Formula Molecular Weight Melting Range (°C)

Base C10H13NO 163.2 Liquid at room

temperature

Hydrochloride C10H13NO.HCl 199.6 176-177

2.2. SOLUBILITY
Form A C E H M W

Base SS FS SS I FS SS

Hydrochloride VSS FS I I FS FS
A = acetone, C = chloroform, E = ether, H = hexane, M = methanol and W = water, VS = very soluble, FS =
freely soluble, S = soluble, PS = sparingly soluble, SS = slightly soluble, VSS = very slightly soluble and I =
insoluble

3. SCREENING TECHNIQUE

3.1. COLOR TESTS

REAGENT COLOR PRODUCED

Marquis No reaction

Sodium Nitroprusside Slight ppt. of blue flecks or blue ring

formed

Chen’s Slow forming yellow-orange

Janovsky Brownish red

3.2. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY

Method MCAT-GCS1

Instrument: Gas chromatograph operated in split mode with FID

Column: 5% phenyl/95% methyl silicone 10 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 µm

Carrier gas: Helium at 1.0 mL/min

Temperatures: Injector: 275°C

Detector: 280°C
Oven program:
1) 100°C initial temperature
2) Ramp to 295°C at 35°C/min
3) Hold final temperature for 6.43 min

Injection Parameters: Split Ratio = 100:1, 1 µL injected

Samples are to be dissolved in appropriate solvent and filtered.

COMPOUND RRT COMPOUND RRT

pseudoephedrine 0.14 guaifenesin 1.11

tridecane 0.22 acetaminophen 1.18

methamphetamine 0.55 phenacetin 1.23

MDMA 0.69 dimethyl sulfone 1.33

amphetamine 0.74 caffeine 1.73

methcathinone 1.00 (3.07 min) dextromethorphan 2.67

3.3. CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Method MCAT-CES1

Buffer Preparation:
Tris-phosphate buffer, pH 2.4 - Prepare by adding one drop H3PO4 per 50 mL of 25 mM
Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane HCl buffer

Injection Solvent:
9:1 H20:Tris-phosphate buffer

Standard Solution Preparation:

Accurately weigh and prepare a standard solution of l-methcathinone, d-methcathinone, l-pseudoephedrine, d-
ephedrine, l-ephedrine, d-pseudoephedrine, l-methamphetamine and d-methamphetamine using approximately
1.0 mg of racemic mixture or 0.5 mg of an individual enantiomer in 10 mL of injection solvent.

Sample Preparation:
Accurately weigh an amount of sample and dilute with injection solvent to an approximate concentration of
0.05 mg/mL.

Mode: Free zone

Column: 82 cm (60 cm effective length) x 50 µm fused silica capillary

Run Buffer: 1.2% MeOH, 98.8% 1mM -cyclodextrin-sulfobutylether (IV) [ -CD-

SBE(IV)] in 25 mM Tris-phosphate buffer, pH 2.4

Detector: UV, 210 nm

Voltage: 30 kV

Temperature: 30°C

Injection: 0.5 s hydrodynamic

Run Time: 16 min

Rinse Time: 2 min

 COMPOUND RMT COMPOUND RMT

l-pseudoephedrine 0.16 d-methcathinone 1.00 (10.23 min)

l-methcathinone 0.43 d-pseudoephedrine 1.27

d-ephedrine 0.70 l-methamphetamine 2.59

l-ephedrine 0.93 d-methamphetamine 3.27

4. EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES

Because Methcathinone is sensitive to strong base, it is preferred that saturated sodium carbonate (pH 11) be
used to basify aqueous mixtures prior to extraction.

Chloroform and methylene chloride are suitable extraction solvents. Shaking the basified aqueous solution with
one of these solvents will transfer the methcathinone as the free base into the organic solvent. The solvent
should then be passed through a layer of anhydrous sodium sulfate to remove any residual basic aqueous phase.
Addition of 2-propanol or ethanol:hydrochloric acid mixture (4:1) to the extracted base, and subsequent solvent
evaporation with a steam bath, is suitable to provide the hydrochloride salt.

5. QUANTITATIVE PROCEDURE

5.1. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY

Method MCAT-GCQ

Internal Standard Solution (ISS):

1.00 mg/mL Tetradecane in methylene chloride.

Standard Solution Preparation:

Prepare a standard solution of Methcathinone HCl between 0.4 and 4.56 mg/mL with ISS as solvent.

Sample Preparation:
Accurately weigh an amount of sample into an appropriately sized volumetric flask so the final concentration of
Methcathinone HCl is approximately equivalent to that of the standard solution. Dilute to volume with ISS.

Instrument: Gas chromatograph operated in split mode with FID

Column: HP-1 or equivalent, 30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 µm film thickness

Carrier gas: Hydrogen at 2.8 mL/min

Temperatures: Injector: 265°C

Detector: 275°C
Oven: 130°C Isothermal for 5 min
Injection Parameters: Split Ratio = 50:1, 1 µL injected

Typical Retention Time: 2.712 min

Linear Range: 0.40 - 4.56 mg/mL

Repeatability: %RSD less than 4%

Correlation Coefficient: 0.9997

Accuracy: %Error less than 5%

COMPOUND RRT

methamphetamine 0.629

methcathinone 1.00

pseudoephedrine 1.158

tetradecane 1.421

The adulterants guaifenesin, diphenhydramine, dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine had retention times
greater than 5 min.

6. QUALITATIVE DATA

6.1. INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (FT-IR)

Both sample and standard should be subjected to the same procedures, using either KBr pellet or ATR
accessory.

6.2. NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE (NMR)

A solution of approximately 10 to 20 mg sample to 1 mL deuterated solvent is an acceptable concentration for

use on the NMR instrument.

6.3. FT-RAMAN SPECTROPHOTOMETRY (FT-RAMAN)

No sample preparation is needed unless two or more active substances are in a sample.

6.4. GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC/MS)

The same parameters from separation method MCAT-GCS1 can be utilized on a GC/MS system with the MS
detector temperature at 280°C
See spectra on the following pages for FT-IR, NMR, FT-Raman, and MS.

7. REFERENCES

Clarke, E.G.C. ed., Isolation and Identification of Drugs, 2nd Edition, The Pharmaceutical Press, 1986.

Dal Cason, T., “The Identification of Cathinone and Methcathinone,”Microgram, December 1992, pp. 10-29

Drug Enforcement Administration Basic Training for Forensic Drug Chemists

Lurie, I., et al., “Chiral Resolution of Cationic Drugs of Forensic Interest by Capillary Electrophoresis with
Mixtures of Neutral and Anionic Cyclodextrins,” Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 66, No. 22, Nov. 15, 1994, pp.
4019-26.

Moffat, A. C., Sr. ed., Clarke's Isolation and Identification of Drugs, The Pharmaceutical Press, Second
Edition, 1996.

O’Neil, M. ed., The Merck Index, 13th Edition, Merck and Co., Inc., 2001, p. 1067.

8. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Wikipedia
 FTIR: Methcathinone hydrochloride, KBr pellet
16 Scans, resolution 4.0, 4.0 mg/100 mg

50

45

40
%Transmittance

35

13 60.72
15 97.20
30

97 5.99
14 69.31

12 44.90
24 54.76
25

20
27 08.62

70 0.19
15

16 91.62
10

3000 2000 1500 1000 500

W avenum bers (cm -1)

FTIR: Methcathinone base, KBr pellet

16 Scans, resolution 4.0, 4.0 mg/100 mg
105

100

95

90

85

80
29 74.27

75
%Trans mittanc e

70
30 58.22

65
96 1.47
12 35.23

60
16 82.97

14 46.89

55
10 23.81
13 71.61

50

45
16 37.06

10 67.74

40
14 01.27

70 3.68

35
15 95.41

15 51.08

30
76 3.29

25

20
3000 2000 1500 1000 500
W avenumbers (cm-1)
 FTIR (ATR 1-bounce): Methcathinone hydrochloride
16 Scans, resolution 4.0
96

94

92

26 98.86
90

90 0.36
12 43.85

65 7.93
88

16 88.97
%Transmittance

97 4.97
86

84

52 8.14
82

53 2.42
80

78

54 1.79
76

69 8.58
74

72
3000 2000 1500 1000
W avenum bers (cm -1)

FTIR (ATR 1-bounce): Methcathinone base

16 Scans, resolution 4.0
100

95

90
30 59.10
29 72.18

85

80

75
10 66.00
12 01.74

70
16 81.80

96 0.17
14 46.13

65
15 58.61
%Trans mittanc e

11 22.50
12 33.94

60
10 00.95

55

53 8.85
15 96.88

13 67.52

50
78 9.01

45

60 8.68
16 38.14

40

35
67 0.29

30

25
69 9.05

20

15
76 1.58

71 9.54

10

3000 2000 1500 1000

W avenumbers (cm-1)
 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (proton): Methcathinone HCl
10 mg/mL in CD3OD 400 MHz
1.0
No. (ppm)
1 1.57
0.9 2 1.59
3 2.78
4 3.30
0.8
5 3.30
6 3.31
0.7 7 4.87
8 5.11
9 5.13
Normalized Intensity

0.6 10 7.58
11 7.60
Normalized Inten...

12 7.62

Normalized Int...
0.5 0.15
0.15 13 7.72
0.10 14 7.74
0.10
0.4 15 8.05
0.05 0.05 16 8.05
17 8.07
0.3 5.1 5.0 4.9 4.8 18 8.07
8.00 7.75
Chemical Shift (ppm) Chemical Shift (ppm)

0.2

0.1

8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0
Chemical Shift (ppm)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (carbon): Methcathinone HCl

15 mg/mL in CD3OD 100 MHz
1.0 No. (ppm)
1 14.98
2 30.51
0.9
3 47.17
4 47.38
0.8 5 47.59
Normalized Int...

1.00 6 47.81
Normalized ...

0.3 0.75 7 48.02

0.7 8 48.23
0.2 0.50
9 48.45
0.1 0.25
Normalized Intensity

0.6 10 59.46
129.5 128.5 49 48 47 46 11 128.79
Chemical Shift (ppm) Chemical Shift (ppm) 12 129.18
0.5 13 133.02
14 134.85
15 195.89
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

220 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

Chemical Shift (ppm)
 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (proton): Methcathinone HCl
14 mg/mL in CDCl3 400 MHz
1.0

0.9 No. (ppm)

1 1.76
2 1.77
0.8
3 2.85
4 2.86
0.7 5 2.88

Normalized Intensity
6 5.05
7 5.05
Normalized Intensity

0.50
0.6 8 5.07
9 7.26
0.25 10 7.47
0.5
11 7.48
12 7.50
8.00 7.75 7.50 7.25 13 7.60
0.4
Chemical Shift (ppm) 14 7.62
15 7.64
0.3 16 7.92
17 7.93
18 7.93
0.2 19 7.95

0.1

8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5
Chemical Shift (ppm)

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (carbon): Methcathinone HCl

15 mg/mL in CDCl3 100 MHz
1.0 No. (ppm)
1 16.32
2 31.82
0.9
3 59.66
4 76.93
0.8 5 77.24
6 77.56
7 129.12
Normalized Inte...

0.7 1.00
8 129.38
0.75 9 133.18
Normalized Intensity

0.6 0.50 10 134.89

0.25 11 195.22

0.5
135.0 132.5 130.0
Chemical Shift (ppm)
0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

220 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 -20

Chemical Shift (ppm)
 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (proton): Methcathinone base
10 mg/mL in CD3OD 400 MHz
1.0

0.9

No. (ppm)
0.8
1 1.28
2 1.30
0.7 3 2.23
4 2.35
Normalized Intensity

5 2.67
0.6 0.10
Normalized Intensity

6 3.30
7 3.30
0.5 8 3.30
0.05 9 3.31
0.4 10 3.31
11 3.58
12 3.75
0.3 0 13 4.88
14 7.53
0.2 8.00 7.75 7.50 7.25 15 8.00
Chemical Shift (ppm ) 16 8.00
17 8.02
0.1

8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5
Chemical Shift (ppm )

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (proton): Methcathinone base

20 mg/mL in CDCl3 400 MHz
0.45 No. (ppm)
1 2.07
2 2.11
3 2.22
0.40 4 2.24
5 2.39
6 2.79
0.35 7 2.97
8 3.02
9 3.57
10 3.67
0.30 11 3.78
12 3.89
Normalized Intensity

13 7.26
14 7.32
0.25
15 7.33
16 7.34
17 7.35
0.20 18 7.44
19 7.46
20 7.51
21 7.52
0.15 22 7.52
23 7.52
24 7.53
25 7.53
0.10
26 7.55
27 8.05
28 8.06
0.05 29 8.07

8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5
Chemical Shift (ppm)
 FT RAMAN: Methcathinone HCl
64 Scans, resolution 8.0
11

10 00.36
30 65.19

15 96.36
10

16 89.09
8

7
Rama n in te nsity

6
29 62.67

0
3000 2000 1500 1000 500
Ram an shift (c m -1)

FT-RAMAN: Methcathinone Base

64 Scans, resolution 8.0

10 00.75
3.4

10 28.67
3.2

3.0

2.8
16 40.28

2.6
30 62.89

2.4
15 97.75

2.2
Rama n in te nsity

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4
29 29.71

14 48.50

1.2

1.0
15 41.14

61 6.91
11 75.73
13 69.18

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
0.0
3000 2000 1500 1000 500
Raman shift (c m-1)
MS: Methcathinone HCl in Chloroform