Characterization of Fentanyl Analogues by Instrumental Analysis

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, developed for anesthetic purposes. Currently, fentanyl has been gaining popularity among the heroin epidemic that our country is facing. Fentanyl and its analogues are among the most dangerous drugs responsible for the increasing death toll. Since fentanyl is a Schedule II narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, fentanyl analogues have begun to enter the illicit market to avert criminal possession. Analytical methods have been employed in the field of forensic science since the beginning. In this study, we use fentanyl and 16 analogues with nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid chromatography- quadrupole-time-of-flight- mass spectrometer, liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometer, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer to determine if current analytical methods are capable of detecting various fentanyl analogues and which analytical technique(s) are best at identifying positional and geometric isomers.