Spectroscopic characterization and crystal structures of two cathinone derivatives: N-ethyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (ethcathinone) hydrochloride and N-ethyl-2-amino-1-(4-chlorophenyl)propan-1-one (4-CEC) hydrochloride.

Comprehensive chemical characterization for two cathinone derivatives, N-ethyl-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one (ethcathinone) hydrochloride and N-ethyl-2-amino-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-propan-1-one (4-chloroethcathinone, 4-CEC) hydrochloride, in material seized by drug enforcement agencies was performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in positive electron ionization mode, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionization mode and X-ray crystallography. The examined samples of these two compounds proved to be very pure for ethcathinone and mixed with very small quantities of other substances for 4-CEC by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. X-ray crystallographic studies confirmed the occurrence of both compounds as racemic mixtures. These spectroscopic and crystallographic data seem very useful for their identification. Especially for 4-CEC, this is the first description on its spectroscopic characterization in a scientific context to our knowledge.