Synthetic Cannabinoid Product Surveillance by LC/ ToF in 2013-2015

Synthetic Cannabinoid Product Surveillance by LC/ ToF in 2013-2015

For the last several years, herbal incenses sold in smoke shops and on the Internet have been shown to contain various synthetic cannabinoids. As these compounds are subsequently controlled by either federal or state governments, new compounds are used and become prevalent. In 2013-2015, we detected new chemical structure subsets of cannabinoid compounds - the quinolinylindole carboxylates and the indazole carboxamides.
Following a solvent extraction with acetonitrile:methanol, we used liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC/ToF) to identify these compounds. Separation was performed via a gradient elution of acidified water and acetonitrile mobile phases on a C18 stationary phase held at 60°C. Time of flight mass spectrometry was performed in positive electrospray ionization mode. One low voltage scan was performed for precursor mass identification and one higher voltage scan was performed for product mass identification via insource collision induced dissociation. Newly detected compounds were the quinolinylindole carboxylates, PB-22 and 5F-PB-22, and the indazole carboxamides, AB-CHMINACA, AB-FUBINACA, ABPINACA, and ADB-FUBINACA. These compounds were detected as the sole adulterant in products as well as alongside other synthetic cannabinoids.