Capillary gas chromatography coupled with Fourier transform infrared detection (GC-FT-IR) was successfully applied to the analysis of amphetamine-like compounds in judicial exhibits. With light pipe GC-FT-IR, unique vapor-phase infrared spectra were generated allowing the unambiguous differentiation between closely related amphetamines. The obtained vapor-phase spectra were submitted to a spectral search on a laboratory-made vapor-phase FT-IR library. Several amphetamine analogues have been identified in confiscated powders and tablets using this approach. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.