Designer drugs, chemically altered compounds derived from federally controlled substances, have become a major cause of addiction and overdose deaths. These drugs include mescaline analogs, synthetic opioids, arylhexylamines, methaqualone derivatives and crack, a new form of cocaine. Sudden changes in mood, weight loss, depression, disturbed sleep patterns, deteriorating school or work performance, marital problems, and loss of interest in friends and social activities may be signs of drug addiction. Life-threatening complications of acute intoxication, such as hyperthermia, seizures, combative and psychotic behavior, and cardiorespiratory collapse, require prompt diagnosis and supportive intervention.
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Insights into the Silylation of Benzodiazepines Using ,-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA): In Search of Optimal Conditions for Forensic Analysis by GC-MS.
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Grupo Química-Física Molecular y Modelamiento Computacional (QUIMOL), Escuela de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Sede Tunja, Avenida Central del Norte, Boyacá 150003, Colombia.
Silylation is a widely used derivatization technique for the gas chromatographic analysis of benzodiazepines, a class of psychoactive drugs commonly encountered in forensic and biological samples. This study investigated the optimal experimental conditions for the silylation of benzodiazepines using ,-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide containing 1% trimethylchlorosilane (BSTFA + 1% TMCS), a widely employed silylating agent. Ten structurally different benzodiazepines, including variations within the classic 1,4-benzodiazepine core and triazolo ring derivatives, were selected to address the effect of structural diversity on silylation.
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Article Synopsis
- LSD analogs are emerging psychoactive substances designed to mimic illegal drugs while bypassing regulations, presenting identification challenges due to their diverse isomeric forms.
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and UV spectroscopy were utilized to analyze 13 different LSD analogs, revealing that specific solvents enhanced detection sensitivity, while methanol could produce misleading results.
- The study successfully established a method for distinguishing between LSD analogs and their isomers through unique ion fragmentation patterns and intensities, aiding in accurate forensic analysis.
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