Enantiomeric Determination of Methamphetamine, Amphetamine, Ephedrine, and Pseudoephedrine using Chiral Supercritical Fluid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometric Detection Li Li, Ph.D. U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Special Testing and Research Laboratory 22624 Dulles Summit Court Dulles, VA 20166 [[email protected]] ABSTRACT: Supercritical fluid chromatography-single quadrupole mass spectrometry (SFC-SQD) was utilized for the enantiomeric determination of methamphetamine, amphetamine, ephedrine, and pseudo- ephedrine. The effects of varying stationary phases, alcohol modifiers, and amine additives were assessed. The optimal separation for methamphetamine was achieved by a Trefoil AMY1 (150 x 2.1 mm, 2.5 :m) column using a supercritical CO2 mobile phase containing EtOH as the co-solvent and 1% cyclohexylamine as the amine additive. The method was successfully applied for determination of the chiral composition of illicit methamphetamine, even for samples with skewed ratios of enantiomers as low as 0.1% d- or 3% l-. KEYWORDS: Methamphetamine, Amphetamine, Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, Chiral Separation, Supercritical Fluid Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Forensic Chemistry. Introduction amine is most commonly produced either from l-ephedrine or d-pseudoephedrine, while racemic The d- and l- enantiomers of methamphetamine d,l-methamphetamine is most commonly produced have dramatically different pharmacological from 1-phenyl-2-propanone (P2P; also known as activity levels (1,2). Despite these differences, phenylacetone and by several other, more obscure both enantiomers are Schedule II in the U.S., due names and acronyms). Methamphetamine with a to their widespread abuse1 . In addition, samples skewed ratio of d- and l- is usually synthesized containing 80% or more d-methamphetamine HCl from P2P with subsequent, incomplete resolution are subject to higher sentences [3]. Therefore, the using d-tartaric acid or a similar agent [4]. Thus, enantiomeric composition of methamphetamine is the enantiomeric composition of methamphet- important from legal and medical perspectives. In amine is also important for forensic and addition, the chirality of methamphetamine can intelligence derivation purposes. help indicate the possible synthetic route and precursor used in its synthesis. d-Methamphet- Since the enactment of the Combat Methamphet- amine Epidemic Act of 2005 [5], which implemented purchasing limits on l-ephedrine and 1 Pharmaceuticals containing low d-pseudoephedrine, the chiral composition of concentrations of l-methamphetamine, which methamphetamine seized in the U.S. has shifted are used as bronchodilators, are not controlled. Microgram Journal 2015, Volume 12; Numbers 1-4 19 dramatically, from the d- enantiomer and the d,l- SFC employs mobile phases comprised of super- racemate to samples with skewed ratios of the d- critical CO2 mixed with organic modifiers (e.g., and l- isomers. This shift confirms the current use alcohols) and additives (e.g., acids or bases); this of P2P and resolution efforts by illicit processors. results in higher diffusivity and lower viscosity versus an HPLC mobile phase. As a result, SFC Chromatographic enantioseparations remain the offers high throughput capacity, much lower most popular techniques for chiral analyses, and solvent consumption, and a "greener," less can be accomplished using HPLC, GC, CE, and expensive technology. Recently, with improved supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Direct instrumentation and wider availability of chiral HPLC using a chiral stationary phase (CSP) is the columns with small particle sizes, SFC has most common technique for the separation of become a viable alternative chromatographic enantiomers [6-17]. However, this method technique for enantiomeric analyses [35-44]. consumes large quantities of HPLC-grade organic solvents (which are expensive), and can display The use of SFC on chiral amylose (AMY) or significant peak broadening as well as longer cellulose (CEL) columns for enantomeric equilibration and analysis times. In addition, determination of methamphetamine, amphet- multiple pilot columns with different CSPs are amine, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine is normally needed to determine the optimal column presented herein. Chiral analyses of seized and conditions, another time consuming expense. methamphetamine samples with skewed enantiomer ratios are also presented. The effects Indirect HPLC with chiral mobile phase additives of varying the stationary phases, co-solvents, and has also been utilized for chiral analyses of additives are discussed. phenethylamines; however, the results displayed low efficiency in enantioselectivity [18,19]. Experimental Similarly, CE with chiral mobile phase additives is effective, efficient, and rapid [20-24]; however, Chemicals this method suffers from low reproducibility in All phenethylamine standards were obtained from migration times, and relative migration times this laboratory’s reference materials collection. versus internal standards are usually required. Ammonium hydroxide solution, ammonium acetate, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and Another common approach involves derivatization cyclohexylamine (CHA) were analytical grade with a chiral reagent (to form diasteromers) with and obtained from Sigma (St. Louis, MO). HPLC subsequent analyses with either HPLC or (more grade solvents, including isopropyl alcohol (IPA), commonly) GC [25-34]. Though such analyses ethanol (EtOH), methanol (MeOH), and have a better enantioselectivity, efficiency, and acetonitrile were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich reproducibility, the derivatization process is time (St. Louis, MO). Carbon dioxide (CO 2 , beverage consuming, more expensive, and technique grade) was from Air Gas (Chantilly, VA). sensitive, and the optical impurity in the chiral reagents often obscures or masks the detection of Columns the low level isomer in a heavily skewed-ratio Trefoil AMY1 (tris-(3,5-dimethylphenyl- sample (chiral derivatizing reagents are typically carbamate) 2.1 x 50 mm, 2.5 :m), Trefoil CEL1 about 98% enantiomerically pure). (tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate)-cellulose, 2.1 x 50 mm, 2.5 :m), Trefoil CEL2 (tris-(3-chloro-4- 20 Microgram Journal 2015, Volume 12; Numbers 1-4 methylphenylcarbamate)-cellulose, 2.1 x 50 mm, IPA. For samples, a 1 mg/mL stock solution in 2.5 :m), and Trefoil AMY1 (2.1 x 150 mm, 2.5 MeOH was prepared. A working sample solution :m) columns were provided by the Waters at 200 :g/mL was prepared by diluting its stock Corporation (Milford, MA). solution with IPA. Instrumentation Table 1. Mass Spectral Parameters. All experiments were performed on a Waters Cone Acquity Ultra Performance Convergence Voltage Chromatography (UPC2 ) System. The system was Compound [M+H]+ (kV) equipped with a binary solvent manager, an autosampler with a partial loop volume injection Amphetamine 135.8 20 system, a 2-position column oven compatible with Methamphetamine 150.2 20 150 mm length columns, and was interfaced with a PDA detector and an SQD with an ESI source. Ephedrine 166.2 15 A 515 pump system (an isocratic solvent Pseudoephedrine 166.2 15 manager) was used as a make-up pump, and was positioned before the mass detector. The main flow stream was split by a flow-splitter assembly before the SQD. Empower 3® software was used Results and Discussion for system control and data acquisition. Screening of Chiral Columns with Different Screening experiments were performed at 400 C Co-Solvents and Additives with a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min. The system back Initial screening of stationary phases was pressure was set at ABPR = 2000 psi, except as attempted using methamphetamine on 50 mm noted. The gradient elution was varied to com- Trefoil “pilot” columns (CEL1, CEL2, and pensate for different modifiers, as specified for AMY1). Based on Waters' strategy for Trefoil each experiment. The injection volume was 2 :L. chiral method development, the following four step process was implemented: 1. The compounds were detected in positive ESI AMY1-EtOH/IPA/ACH (33/33/33)-20 mM AmAc mode with the following parameters: The ion (B1); 2. CEL1-MeOH/IPA (50/50)-0.2% TFA source temperature was 1500 C; nitrogen was used (B2); 3. CEL2-EtOH/ACN (50/50)-0.2% TFA as the desolvation gas at a flow rate of 600 L/hr (B3); 4. AMY1-EtOH/IPA (50/50)-0.2% TFA and at 4000 C; the capillary voltage was 3 kV. The (B4). The instrument was equilibrated at 3% B makeup flow was 0.6 mL/min with MeOH. In this for 0.5 min, then linear gradient to 60% B over 1.5 study, Single Ion Recording (SIR) was utilized for min, then hold at 60% B for 5 min. better sensitivity and selectivity (mass spectral parameters are listed in Table 1). There was no noticeable enantiomeric separation of any of the phenethylamines with any of the Standard and Sample Preparation screening columns and conditions. Distorted Stock solutions of each standard were prepared at peaks were observed, possibly due to the acidic 1 mg/mL in MeOH. Working solutions of character of the large percentage of CO2 in the individual standards or their mixtures were mobile phase. According to a study by Ye et al., prepared by diluting their stock solutions with addition of an amine raises the pH of the mobile Microgram Journal 2015, Volume 12; Numbers 1-4 21 phase, thereby deprotonating the analytes and Effects of CHA Concentration and Optimization improving their peak shapes and resolution [36]. of the Chiral Separation for Methamphetamine Thus, three organic co-solvents (MeOH, EtOH, or In order to fully