Ketamine deemed as a psychoactive substance has gained popularity for recreational use owing to its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects. Understanding the synthetic processes of ketamine can provide essential clues for law enforcement officers against illicit ketamine manufacturing. In this case report, a chemical company was being monitored by law enforcement officers due to its importation of precursors and materials that could be used for the synthesis of illicit drugs. After materials and products seized from this chemical company were employed for analyses using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, ketamine, hydroxylamine, 2-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone, and cyclopentanone p-toluenesulfonylhydrazone were identified. In addition, a novel process for the synthesis of ketamine precursor 2-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone from cyclopentanone p-toluenesulfonylhydrazone and 2-chlorobenzaldehyde was validated. This is the first report to uncover this novel process for the synthesis of 2-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone and can be used to increase awareness among law enforcement officers and forensic practitioners about these novel starting materials for the synthesis of ketamine.

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从非法氯胺酮制造厂检获的用于合成 2-氯苯基环戊基酮的新材料


氯胺酮被视为一种精神活性物质，由于其致幻和解离作用而在娱乐用途中广受欢迎。了解氯胺酮的合成过程可以为执法人员打击非法氯胺酮制造提供重要线索。在本案例报告中，一家化学公司因进口可用于合成非法药物的前体和材料而受到执法人员的监控。对该化学公司查获的物料和产品进行气相色谱-质谱联用、液相色谱-高分辨质谱联用、核磁共振分析，检出氯胺酮、羟胺、2-氯苯基环戊酮、环戊酮对甲苯磺酰腙等。被识别出来。此外，还验证了一种由环戊酮对甲苯磺酰腙和2-氯苯甲醛合成氯胺酮前体2-氯苯基环戊酮的新工艺。这是第一份揭示这种合成 2-氯苯基环戊基酮的新工艺的报告，可用于提高执法人员和法医从业人员对这些用于合成氯胺酮的新原料的认识。