Forensic Applications of Gas Chromatography - Forensic Applications of Gas Chromatography - page 92

O

COOCH 3

OH

H 3 C

H 3 C

N

N

O

O

H

H

O

O

Benzoylecgonine

Cocaine

O

OH

H 3 C

N

OH

H

Ecgonine

Figure 8.5 Molecular structure of three ecgonine alkaloids extracted from coca
leaf.

form of cocaine. The molecular structures of cocaine, ecgonine and benzoy-
lecgonine are shown in Figure 8.5.
Cocaine is mainly produced in Southern and Central America, predomi-
nantly in Colombia but also in Bolivia and Peru. The cocaine found in North
America is trafficked from South America through Mexico; the cocaine
in Europe has been shown to have originated from Bolivia and Peru. The
amount of cocaine present tends to be between 60% and 80% (by weight) in
cocaine hydrochloride and up to 90% in crack cocaine.

8.2.5.3 Synthetic Drugs
Synthetic drugs are artificially produced for the illicit market and almost
wholly manufactured from chemicals in illicit or clandestine laboratories.
Synthetic drugs include amphetamines and other amphetamine-related com-
pounds. Amphetamines and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are deriv-
atives of β-phenethylamine (the chemical structure is shown in Figure 8.6).
Amphetamines available on the illicit market include, for example,
amphetamine, methylamphetamine, methylenedioxy amphetamine (MDA),
methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) and methylenedioxyethyl-
amphetamine (MDEA). Many other amphetamine type stimulants are also
available on the illicit market. The chemical structures of some of these com-
pounds are shown in Figure 8.7.
Amphetamine tends to be found as the sulphate salt and is a white to
off-white powder. Methylamphetamine is also found as a powder, whereas

NH 2

Figure 8.6 β-Phenylethylamine.