Contaminated 3-FPM - Chemist's Advice Wanted

[Lerpopolis]

Hi,

This question is for knowledgable chemists only, as I have plenty of experienced friends that can offer guesses and ideas, and I am also very knowledgable, but in certain aspects of pharmacology, not chemistry. Thank you.

I have a known, well-tested batch of 3-FPM. I stored about 2 grams in a vacation location with various other precious chemicals in a small tin box, all in cork sealed vials, tucked down into a relatively dry storage trunk, for one year, in a dark, cool place varying in temp from about 50-74F, but mostly on the cool side.

I returned this year to find a small wet, empty bag that appeared to be made of medical tape (but probably wasn't medical tape) in a small pool of yellowish sticky liquid that had gotten on several of the vials. It tasted very sour/bitter/acrid. Unfortunately it seeped into one vial of 3-FPM.

My guess is, it was a desiccant pack that I habitually put in the box. I'm confused though because silica gel and other desiccants I've known don't usually dissolve into goo when very wet, they just get very wet. I'm wondering whether it might have been some other desiccant technology I'm unaware of.

I don't put wet things in my box, and I keep it in a dry place, so this seems to be the most likely guess at what happened.

The 3-FPM looks 'fine' but it's very wet, and it 'may' taste more sour/acrid than normal. I imagine it must, if that liquid got in.

QUESTIONS: 1. does anyone have any further insight into what may have happened, and 2. how risky might it be to slowly assay the material, and by that I mean, take 1 mg, wait some time, if all feels right after an hour or two, try 2 mg, etc.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Transform]

This chemical effect is called "deliquescence". Silica gel is not deliquescent, so it wouldn't be that. To avoid this mess, it is very rare for a commercial desiccant to be deliquescent, one would only use such a powerful desiccant if moisture would cause rapid degradation (for example excluding water from a chemical reaction in a lab).

It is much more likely to be something you had in your collection, probably with a deliquescent impurity. I'm not sure how it could seep "into" a vial and get the 3-FPM "very wet" so I would say the most reasonable explanation is that the 3-FPM caused this and then seeped out of the vial somehow.

It is likely that whatever caused this is less harmful than the drugs you are consuming but without knowing what it is, it's pretty much impossible to say how harmful (or not) it could be. The conservative approach is to put the affected substances in the bin, but titrating your dosage up almost certainly won't kill you (quickly).


PS GHB powder is the only drug I can think of that is deliquescent even when pure.

 

[Lerpopolis]

Thanks so much for this informative response. I think you nailed it. I'm now guessing that the little bag WAS made up of medical tape, as I will occasionally make a "bullet' that way as a means of transport. I likely put the bullet in with the vials, not realizing that it would be much more exposed air through the porous membrane.

The vials are not the best but they were all I could find on short notice. They are simple, long clear vials (~1-2 drams) with a small cork top. The cork top works reasonably well, but in one case, this bottle of 3-FPM, I'm 90% sure it leaked. The reason being, I could see where the moisture has seeped in through the side of the cork due to some minor discoloration. The other corked vials held a good seal.

So again, thank you. Your answer regarding an assay is spot on as well. It will be heartbreaking to toss 2g of 3-FPM in the bin because it is such a special molecule and I can't find it anymore in my geographic location. But as you've suggested, it is no doubt the wise thing to do.

This morning the material remains scattered on a plate in open air, and it hasn't dried out at all. So whatever chemical adulterant in the 3-FPM that underwent deliquescence, is remaining so.

Damn.

Thank you for your expertise.

 

[Sleepy70x]

Just as a FYI, NEVER snort that shit or IV it.... trust me, I know.