DETERMINATION OF NEUTRAL MANUFACTURING IMPURITIES IN HEROIN BY CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH ELECTRON-CAPTURE DETECTION AFTER REDUCTION WITH LITHIUM ALUMINUM-HYDRIDE AND DERIVATIZATION WITH HEPTAFLUOROBUTYRIC ANHYDRIDE

Neutral byproducts associated with the manufacture of illicit heroin are many and include meconin, 4-acetoxy-3,6-dimethoxyphenanthrene, N,O**6-diacetylnorcodeine, 4-acetoxy-3,6-dimethoxy-5- left bracket 2-(methylacetamido)ethyl right bracket phenanthrene, N,O**3,O**6-triacetylnormorphine, and 4-acetoxy-3,6-dimethoxy-8- left bracket 2-(methylacetamido)ethyl right bracket phenanthrene. These N- and O-acetylated impurities, and meconin, are easily isolated from the bulk heroin matrix, after which they are subjected to reduction with lithium aluminum hydride (LiAIH//4) followed by derivatization with heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) in the presence of pyridine.