Identification of 1-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-(ethylamino)pentan-1-one (bk-IVP) in a Seized Drug Exhibit

To circumvent the law by evading regulation and obscuring their identities in routine analyses, numerous substituted cathinones have entered the illicit drug market. These compounds have been coined "bath salts" by users. In the described case, the laboratory received an unknown white powder for controlled substances identification. The sample could not be immediately identified using standard methods and procedures. Ultimately, the structure was elucidated using GC-MS, NMR, FTIR, GC-SPIR, UV, and color tests to be 1-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-(ethylamino)pentan-1-one (bk-IVP), a cathinone analog with a rarely observed nonoxygenated bicyclic ring system. Features of spectra and chemical tests are reported that distinguish this class of cathinones from heterocyclic analogs.