The identification and analysis of the metabolic products of mephentermine

Phentermine (Ib), N-hydroxymephentermine (Ic) and N-hydroxyphentermine (Id) were identified as metabolic products after in vitro incubation of mephentermine (Ia) with rabbit liver microsomal fractions. Compounds Ia, Ib and Ic were also identified as excretion products in the urine of a human subject given a single dose of mephentermine (Ia) sulphate. Derivatization with acetic anhydride, trifluoroacetic anhydride and the trimethylsilyl donor reagent N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) or hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) were used for qualitative identification of the metabolic products Ib-Id by g.l.c.-mass spectrometry and for quantitative determination of Ia-Id after extraction from rabbit hepatic homogenates. The synthesis of N-hydroxymephentermine (Ic) and the properties of the metabolic products are reported.