RCs Methylphenidate sold as Ethylphenidate

[amit]

Hi,

Firstly my apologies if this thread is located in the wrong forum, mods please feel free to move if required.

I need some help.

Last year, I imported a quantity of Ethylphenidate from a known Chinese supplier to Europe.

The package was stopped and seized by customs, the package was analysed and the results showed positive for Methylphenidate (which is a regulated substance).

The police executed a warrant and found more "Ethylphenidate" which was seized, but under analysis it has tested positive for the illegal product Methylphenidate.
The police have now charged me for a number of offences including importation and intent to supply of a regulated compound.
I purchased the product as Ethylphenidate and NOT Methylphenidate, so I do have a defence which I will be discussing further with my advocate.

I do however, have several questions to the community in regards to the chemistry element of the case and would be extremely grateful if someone could help.

• During the synthesis of Ethylphenidate does one have to make Methylphenidate and perform an additional step to achieve Ethylphenidate?
• Would the reagents and apparatus used to make Methylphenidate cost more or less than Ethylphenidate?
• Is it possible the analysis the police have commissioned has been misread as Methylphenidate?

I can only assume that the Chinese supplier has supplied Methylphenidate as he has access to this a cheaper rate than Ethylphenidate, but everything I have seen and read implies that Methylphenidate costs a lot more to manufacture than Ethylphenidate.

Any help would be very grateful.

Many Thanks
A

 

[sekio]

Methylphenidate and ethylphenidate are equally easy to make, if you can make the one then you are equipped to make the other. Methyl alcohol is actually cheaper than ethyl alcohol so I'd expect methylphenidate to be the cheaper product.

The mass spectrum of methylphenidate is quite similar to ethylphenidate but they have different retention times on GC, so they are distinguishable. If you compared a sample of each then you'd see they were different.

If the customs agents are telling you it's methylphenidate it probably is.

 

[amit]

Thanks for your assistance, really appreciate it.

This is a lesson to anyone involved in the shady RC industry.