analysis of nutmeg essential oil as a source of precursors of mdma

LE.79
ANALYSIS OF NUTMEG ESSENTIAL OIL AS A SOURCE OF PRECURSORS OF MDMA
BY TWO-DIMENSIONAL GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
Marcelo C. Santos, Keila D. Lima, Sérgio E. Oliveira, Roberto B. Sousa, Antonio L. Lima
Department of Chemical Engineering - Military Institute of Engineering, Praça General Tibúrcio, 80 Praia Vermelha, 22290270 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
MDMA, or N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl) propan-2-amine, is a synthetic substance
commonly known as ecstasy, although this term is been used today to describe other
substances. With a chemical structure similar to methamphetamine and mescaline, it acts as
both a stimulant and psychedelic. It was first synthesized by a chemical company in 1912, but
its hazardous and toxic effects caused it to be criminalized in most countries. MDMA can be
manufactured from four principal precursors: safrole, isosafrole, piperonal and 3,4methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone (PMK). The last three, however, can be synthesized from
safrole. In this study, we analyze nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) and its essential oil as a source
of safrole, with the use of two-dimensional chromatography, coupled to a mass spectrometer,
CG-CG/MS. Excessive consumption of nutmeg has been already related to toxic effects due
to the presence of chemical substances like myristicin and elemicida. In this context, low doses
of gamma radiation were used to verify how concentrations of the MDMA precursor could vary
with this kind of treatment. Four samples were prepared, being three of them irradiated in a
research irradiator with cesium-137 source, at doses of 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 kGy, respectively, with
dose rate 1.8 kGy / h; the fourth one was kept as a control. The essential oil extraction was
carried out by steam distillation, using the modified Clevenger apparatus. The Shimadzu MDGC
system consisted of two GC-2010 gas chromatographs (defined as GC 1 and GC 2), an MSQP2010 quadrupole mass spectrometer. The MDGC transfer device, located in GC 1, is
connected to an advanced pressure control (APC) unit which supplies carrier gas (He), at
constant pressure. In the first GC it was used the polar column Solgel-Wax 30m x 0,25 mm i.
d. x 0,25 µm (SGE) and in the second GC the apolar column BP5 30m x 0,25mm i.d. x 0,25µ
m (SGE) as columns. Mass Ion source: 230°C; interface temp: 250°C, interval scan: 40-400
m/z; scan speed: 2000 amu/s. The combined use of a polar column and one apolar made it
possible to achieve excellent results, and safrole represented 8.72% of the essential oil
composition.

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