Analytical characterization and rapid determination of 2-(diphenylmethyl)pyrrolidine in blood and application to an internet product

The increased availability of new psychoactive substances (“legal highs”) from retail shops or internet sources has caught the imagination of consumers, law enforcement and scientific communities. The present study describes the identification of 2-(diphenylmethyl)pyrrolidine (DPMP, desoxy-D2PM) as the key constituent found in an internet product called “A3A New Generation”. Analytical characterization of this new generation “legal high” product was based on gas chromatography (EI/CI) ion trap mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography (HPLC) using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and diode array detection. A quantitative method was also developed and validated for the detection of DPMP in human whole blood using HPLC single wavelength ultraviolet detection (210 nm). Evaluation of standard method validation parameters was found to be satisfactory. The circulation of DPMP on the market is another example of psychoactive substances described decades ago in the patent literature which are beginning to be rediscovered by recreational drug communities. The ability to unambiguously identify and detect this psychoactive compound should therefore be of interest to those who are exposed to the recreational drugs field.