Crystal structures and other properties of ephedrone (methcathinone) hydrochloride, N-acetylephedrine and N-acetylephedrone

PURPOSE: Three compounds obtained from ephedrine were identified and characterized by various instrumental analytical methods. Ephedrone (methcathinone) hydrochloride and its fundamental derivatives N-acetylephedrine and N-acetylephedrone were analyzed as precursors of a cathinone derivative. METHODS: The obtained samples were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. RESULTS: The three compounds were confirmed as: N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (methcathinone) hydrochloride, N-acetyl-N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (cathinone derivative), and N-acetyl-N-methyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-ol (acetyl derivative of ephedrine). CONCLUSIONS: X-ray crystallography is especially useful for identifying the new designer drugs and their different precursor forms. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s11419-018-0436-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.