Abstract
PurposeCurrently, among new psychoactive substances, cathinone derivatives constitute the biggest group, which are mainly classified into N-alkylated, 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-alkylated, N-pyrrolidinyl, and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-pyrrolidinyl derivatives. These derivatives are actively being subjected to minor modifications at the alkyl chains or the aromatic ring to create new synthetic cathinones with the goal of circumventing laws. In this review, the new synthetic cathinones that have appeared on the illegal drug market during the period 2014–2017 are highlighted, and their characterization by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry is presented.MethodsVarious key words were used to conduct an extensive literature search across a number of databases, specifically for synthetic cathinones that emerged between 2014 and 2017.ResultsMore than 30 new cathinone derivatives were discovered. The preexisting parental compounds for the new derivatives are also referenced, and their mass spectral data are compiled in a table to facilitate their identification by forensic toxicologists.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the most current review presenting new synthetic cathinones. Political authorities should take measures to implement and enforce generic scheduling (comprehensive system) laws to control the diversely modified synthetic cathinones. Supplementing the existing databases with new findings can greatly facilitate the efforts of forensic toxicologists.
Highlights
Cathinone is one of the biologically active alkaloids found in the khat shrub (Catha edulis)
Supplementing the existing databases with new findings can greatly facilitate the efforts of forensic toxicologists
These authors admitted that the most popular and most frequently applied analytical techniques were gas chromatography (GC)–MS and liquid chromatography (LC)–MS supported by libraries of mass spectra, but the utility of these approaches is declining in the face of the avalanche of novel cathinone derivatives that appear with increasing frequency on the designer drug market
Summary
Various key words were used to conduct an extensive literature search across a number of databases, for synthetic cathinones that emerged between 2014 and 2017. Results More than 30 new cathinone derivatives were discovered. The preexisting parental compounds for the new derivatives are referenced, and their mass spectral data are compiled in a table to facilitate their identification by forensic toxicologists
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