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Influence of base on nitro-aldol (Henry) reaction products for alternative clandestine pathways

Version 2 2024-06-06, 09:26
Version 1 2016-05-09, 16:06
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 09:26 authored by LM Andrighetto, Luke HendersonLuke Henderson, JR Pearson, PG Stevenson, Xavier ConlanXavier Conlan
Australian clandestine drug laboratories are constantly utilising alternative methods to produce methamphetamine, in part as restrictions are placed by Government on, for example, chemicals such as phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) (in the early 1980s), or on pseudoephedrine-containing pharmaceuticals, from the mid-2000s. This paper discusses the nitro-aldol reaction occurring between nitroethane and benzaldehyde, which can be utilised in a number of differing routes, in the presence of different bases. The resulting products, namely phenyl-2-nitropropene (P2P pathway) and 2-nitro-1-phenyl-1-propanol (ephedrine pathway) are directly dependant on which base is used; as such, the base may be used to provide an indication of a possible manufacture pathway of methamphetamine at a clandestine laboratory.

History

Journal

Australian journal of forensic sciences

Volume

48

Pagination

684-693

Location

Abingdon, Eng.

ISSN

0045-0618

eISSN

1834-562X

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences

Issue

6

Publisher

Taylor & Francis