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Dal Cason TA. 
“The characterization of some 3,4-methylenedioxycathinone MDCATH homologs”. 
Forensic Science International. 1997 Feb;87:9-53.
Abstract
In the past 35 years, a wide variety of illicit drugs have appeared in the clandestine market. Many of these compounds are based on the structure of amphetamine 1-phenyl-2-aminopropane to which various functional or structural groups have been added. Previous modifications to the amphetamine molecule include addition of a methylenedioxy bridge to give 3,4-methyl-enedioxyamphetamine, and attachment of a &946-keto oxygen to yield cathinone. A chemical synthesis integrating the salient functional/structural groups of these two classes of amphetamine analogs results in manufacture of methylenedioxycathinone MDCATH. In each instance, N-alkylation of these analogs provides a series of homologs. Furthermore, many of these analogs/homologs meet several criteria which typically support the clandestine laboratory synthesis of novel illicit drugs 'designer drugs'. The MDCATH analogs represent a potentially new series of 'designer drugs' whose chemical characteristics have not previously been reported. Appropriate selection of analytical, chemical and physical tests will enable rapid identification of these analogs by a comparative analysis using the data provided.
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