Establishing the synthetic origin of amphetamines by 2H NMR spectroscopy

Nine samples of N-acetyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (N-acetyl-MDA), prepared according to the most common synthetic procedures, are submitted to 2H NMR spectroscopy. The relative deuterium content at the various sites of the molecule is shown to depend on its synthetic history. The technique provides a chemical fingerprint of N-acetyl-MDAs and it can be used to trace back the precursor materials and the synthetic pathways employed in the preparation of the samples.