Investigating the chemical impurity profiles of fentanyl preparations and precursors to identify chemical attribution signatures for synthetic method attribution. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ovenden, Simon P.B.; McDowall, Lyndal J.; McKeown, Hugh E.; McGill, Nathan W.; Jones, Oliver A.H.; Pearson, James R.; Petricevic, Marija; Rogers, Michael L.; Rook, Trevor J.; Williams, Jilliarne; Webster, Renée L.; Zanatta, Shannon D.
• Is Part Of: Forensic science international. Volume 321(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Chemical attribution signatures -- Chemical forensics -- Impurity profiling -- Fentanyl -- Method attribution -- LC-HRMS; Medical jurisprudence -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Forensic -- Periodicals; Forensic Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine légale -- Périodiques; Chimie légale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke geneeskunde; Gerechtelijke chemie; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Chemistry, Forensic; Medical jurisprudence; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110742
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0379-0738

Abstract

Highlights: Determining method of production is of benefit to investigative agencies. Identifying chemical attribution signatures aids synthetic production determination. Janssen and Siegfried acylation methods for fentanyl production were investigated. Different methods of 4-anilino- N -phenethylpiperidine (ANPP) also investigated. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Abstract: From an analytical chemistry standpoint, determining the chemical attribution signatures (CAS) of synthetic reaction mixtures is an impurity profiling exercise. Identifying and understanding the impurity profile and CAS of these chemical agents would allow them to be exploited for chemical forensic information, such as how a particular chemical agent was synthesised. Being able to determine the synthetic route used to make a chemical agent allows for the possibility of batches of the agent, and individual incidents using that agent, to be forensically linked. This information is of particular benefit to agencies investigating the nefarious and illicit use of chemical agents. One such chemical agent of interest to law enforcement and national security agencies is fentanyl. In this study two acylation methods for the final step of fentanyl production, herein termed the Janssen and Siegfried methods, were investigated by liquid chromatography- high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and multivariate statistical analysis (MVA). From these data, fifty-five chemical impurities were identified. Of these, ten were specific CAS for the Janssen method, and five for the Siegfried method. Additionally, analytical data from four different literature methods for production of the fentanyl precursor 4-anilino- N -phenethylpiperidine (ANPP), were compared to the results obtained from the method of production (Valdez) used in this study. Comparison of the LC-HRMS data for these five methods allowed for four Valdez specific impurities to be identified. These may be useful CAS for the Valdez method of ANPP production.