Investigation of stereochemical stability of 2-, 3- and 4-chloromethcathinones in various biological matrixes

The stereochemical stability of the popular drugs of abuse 2-, 3- and 4-chloromethcathinone was studied in the mobile phase used for the isolation of their enantiomers by high-performance liquid chromatography, as well as in various biological matrixes such as whole blood, saliva and urine. For 2-, 3-, and 4-chloromethcathinones the rate constants and half-lives of their first order racemization reaction was assessed. It was found that at 25 °C the racemization rate constant decreases in the order 2-CMC > 3-CMC > 4-CMC while their stereochemical stability in biological matrixes decreases in the order urine > saliva > whole blood. This information must be considered for the adequate storage of purified enantiomers in the collected fractions, as well as in the studies focused on their enantioselective transformation in the human body.