Liquid Chromatographic and Mass Spectral Analysis of 1-Phenyl-2-Butanamines: Homologues of the Amphetamines

Abstract

The N-substituted 1-phenyl-2-butanamines were prepared from 1-phenyl-2-butanone via reductive amination. the 2-butanamines are homologues of the amphetamine-type drugs of abuse. the N-substituted 2-butanamines were separated via reversed-phase liquid chromatography using an acidic mobile phase (pH 3) and C₁₈ and phenyl silica stationary phases. Similar reversed-phase conditions allowed for excellent resolution of methamphetamine from its regiosiomer 1-phenyl-2-butanamine. the mass spectra (EI) for the 2-butanamines show the characteristic imine base peaks which are identical to those for the N-substituted amphetamines making these two series of compounds very similar by EI fragmentation.