Voltammetric oxidation of drugs of abuse III. Heroin and metabolites

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2004

Authors

Garrido, Jorge M P J (Author) Other; Delerue-Matos, C. M Delerue (Author) Other; Borges, Fernanda Fernanda M (Author) FFUP; Macedo, Tice Reis A (Author) Other; Oliveira-Brett, A. M. (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Electroanalysis

Vol. 16

Pages: 1497-1502

ISSN: 1040-0397

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 37 Citations

Scopus - 38 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Chemical sciences

CORDIS: Physical sciences > Chemistry

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-8NS

DOI: 10.1002/elan.200302975

Abstract (EN): The oxidative behavior of heroin in aqueous solution is reported. In order to identify its oxidation peaks, several metabolites, 6-monoacetylmorphine, 3-monoacetylmorphine and norheroin, were synthesized and their electrochemical behavior studied using differential pulse voltammetry. The anodic waves observed for heroin correspond to the oxidation of the tertiary amine group and its follow-up product (secondary amine), and to the oxidation of the phenolic group obtained from hydrolysis, at alkaline pHs, of the 3-acetyl group. The results enabled a new oxidative mechanism for heroin to be proposed in which a secondary amine, norheroin, and an aldehyde are obtained. The voltammetric behavior of 6-monoacetylmorphine and morphine was found to be similar demonstrating that the presence of an acetyl substituent on the 6-hydroxy group does not have a relevant influence on the peak potential of the wave resulting from oxidation of the 3-phenolic group.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific