The Identification of Unreacted Precursors, Impurities, and By-Products in Clandestinely Produced Phencyclidine Preparations
Angelos, SA
Senior forensic chemist, forensic chemists, and senior forensic chemist, respectively, North Central Laboratory, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago, IL.

Raney, JK
Senior forensic chemist, forensic chemists, and senior forensic chemist, respectively, North Central Laboratory, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago, IL.

Skowronski, GT
Senior forensic chemist, forensic chemists, and senior forensic chemist, respectively, North Central Laboratory, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago, IL.

Wagenhofer, BJ
Senior forensic chemist, forensic chemists, and senior forensic chemist, respectively, North Central Laboratory, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago, IL.


Abstract
The typical phencyclidine sample found in clandestine laboratories can be contaminated by the presence of unreacted precursors and large amounts of impurities and by-products. Although this may involve an extensive “cleanup” procedure before phencyclidine identification, the additional analysis of the sample for the impurities will often confirm the synthetic process employed. A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry procedure has been developed in which the 13 major components, including phencyclidine and piperidinocyclohexane carbonitrile, found in these typical clandestine mixtures, may be screened for and identified. The data obtained from this analysis are consistently used as an aid to the successful prosecution of “intent to manufacture” cases.

Keywords:
controlled substances, criminalistics, forensic science, phencyclidine, toxicology

Paper ID: JFS356901297

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Author Angelos SA, Raney JK, Skowronski GT, Wagenhofer BJ Title The Identification of Unreacted Precursors, Impurities, and By-Products in Clandestinely Produced Phencyclidine Preparations Symposium , Committee on