Methamphetamine
Amphetamine-type stimulant- Formula
- C10H15N
- Molar mass
- 149.24 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 150.1277
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Methamphetamine analysis Nine compounds, nine fingerprints
Molecular profiles of illicit drugsstructures, masses and fingerprints
Every compound we analyse has a unique molecular structure. This page shows the structure, formula, molar mass and protonated mass of each one, together with a molecular fingerprint drawn as a double helix. It is the closest thing a drug has to DNA.
Methamphetamine, C10H15N128 bit
Bit set, first strandBit set, second strandBoth setNot set
How to reada molecular profile
- Skeletal structureLines are carbon to carbon bonds, with carbon and most hydrogen atoms implied. Nitrogen is shown in blue and oxygen in orange.
- FormulaThe number of each type of atom in the molecule, such as C10H15N for methamphetamine.
- Molar massThe average mass of one mole of the compound, in grams per mole.
- [M+H]⁺The monoisotopic mass of the protonated molecule, the ion typically measured in mass spectrometry.
- Molecular fingerprintA 128 bit code generated from the structure, drawn as a helix. The first 64 bits form one strand and the last 64 the other.
The molecules we identify,grouped by class
Select any profile to see the analysis that detects it, how samples are collected and what the results mean for a property.
Amphetamine-type substances
Stimulants and entactogens built on a phenethylamine backbone. MDMA and MDA add a methylenedioxy ring.
Methamphetamine
Amphetamine-type stimulant- Formula
- C10H15N
- Molar mass
- 149.24 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 150.1277
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Methamphetamine analysis Amphetamine
Amphetamine-type stimulant- Formula
- C9H13N
- Molar mass
- 135.21 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 136.1121
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Amphetamine analysis MDMA
Entactogen, amphetamine-type- Formula
- C11H15NO2
- Molar mass
- 193.25 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 194.1176
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View MDMA analysis MDA
Entactogen, amphetamine-type- Formula
- C10H13NO2
- Molar mass
- 179.22 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 180.1019
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View MDA analysis Cocaine and its breakdown product
A tropane alkaloid and the compound it hydrolyses to over time. Measuring both helps date residue.
Cocaine
Tropane alkaloid stimulant- Formula
- C17H21NO4
- Molar mass
- 303.36 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 304.1543
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Cocaine analysis Benzoylecgonine
Cocaine breakdown product- Formula
- C16H19NO4
- Molar mass
- 289.33 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 290.1387
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Benzoylecgonine analysis Synthetic opioids
Potent at very small quantities, which is why fentanyl is analysed at low reporting limits.
Fentanyl
Synthetic opioid- Formula
- C22H28N2O
- Molar mass
- 336.48 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 337.2274
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Fentanyl analysis Precursors
Diastereomers with the same formula and mass, used in some methamphetamine manufacturing routes.
Pseudoephedrine
Precursor, (1S,2S)- Formula
- C10H15NO
- Molar mass
- 165.24 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 166.1226
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Pseudoephedrine analysis Ephedrine
Precursor, (1R,2S)- Formula
- C10H15NO
- Molar mass
- 165.24 g/mol
- [M+H]⁺
- 166.1226
Molecular fingerprint, 128 bit
View Ephedrine analysis Structures, formulae and masses are generated from each compound's defined structure. Fingerprints are 128 bit circular fingerprints that include stereochemistry.
Why structure matters,in the laboratory
Identifying a drug is about telling similar molecules apart with confidence. Methamphetamine and amphetamine differ by a single methyl group. MDMA and MDA differ in the same way. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine have exactly the same atoms and the same mass, and differ only in the orientation of one bond.
Laboratory methods are designed around those differences. Compounds are separated from each other, measured against reference standards and confirmed by their mass and behaviour in the instrument, with quality control samples run alongside client samples.
That is why a laboratory certificate can report each compound on its own line, and why a not detected result can be relied on. The profiles on this page are a way to see the molecules behind those results.
Frequently askedquestions
Answers to common questions about structures, fingerprints and how they relate to laboratory analysis.
Do drugs have DNA?
No. DNA belongs to living organisms. Drugs are molecules, and each one has a unique structure. The molecular fingerprint on each profile is a code generated from that structure, which works as a unique identifier in a similar way.
What is a molecular fingerprint?
A molecular fingerprint is a string of bits generated from the arrangement of atoms and bonds in a molecule. Chemists use fingerprints to search and compare large libraries of compounds. Each fingerprint on this page is 128 bits long and is drawn as a double helix.
Why do ephedrine and pseudoephedrine have different fingerprints?
They share the same formula and mass but differ in the three-dimensional arrangement around one carbon atom. Their fingerprints are generated with that stereochemistry included, so they come out different.
What does [M+H]⁺ mean?
It is the monoisotopic mass of the molecule with one extra proton attached. This protonated ion is typically what is measured in mass spectrometry, so it is a useful reference figure for laboratory identification.
Is laboratory identification based on these fingerprints?
No. The fingerprints are a way to visualise each molecule. Laboratory identification relies on analytical instruments, reference standards and quality controls, and results are reported on a certificate for each sample.
Fairfield, Queensland. Clients Australia wide.
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59 Fairfield Rd, Fairfield QLD 4103. Sampling kits are dispatched and samples received from clients across Australia.