Simultaneous Separation and Identification of some Illicit Drugs and their Diluents by Thin-layer Chromatography

Abstract

A thin-layer chromatographic method is reported for the simultaneous separation of cocaine, heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, quinine and of cocaine, codeine, heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphirie, morphine from each other, in the presence of aspirin, caffeine, glucose, lactose, sucrose, mannitol, starch and nicotinic acid as diluents. The method involves the use of basic silica gel plates employs a moving solvent system consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, xylene and chloroform in the ratio 12.5:12.5:25:50. Additionally, two thin-layer procedures for the separation of cocaine alone in the presence of codeine, heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine and quinine. These procedures involve the use of both neutral and basic silica gel plates employing solvent systems 28, 34, 35, 37, 63, 78 and solvent systems 21, 25, 26, 32, 36, 40, 45, 63, 66, 78 of Table I respectively. A procedure is described for the separation of quinine alone in the presence of cocaine, codeine, heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, and morphine utilizing basic silica gel plates and employing solvent systems 48, 50, 52, 62 of Table I. A sequential procedure is recommended for the detection and identification of the above named alkaloid and non-alkaloid compounds. The procedure is the sequential exposure of the plates to iodine vapor, followed by spraying with anisaldehyde reagent and then spraying with iodoplatinate reagent.