Inhalation Efficiency of Free-Base Cocaine by Pyrolysis of ‘Crack’ and Cocaine Hydrochloride

Abstract

The inhalation efficiency and pyrolysis products of cocaine by the pyrolysis of crack and cocaine hydrochloride at various temperatures are described. The inhalation efficiency of cocaine by the pyrolysis of crack was 73 +/- 9% and 62 +/- 11% at 170 degrees C and 220 degrees C, respectively. When crack was heated at over 225 degrees C, the higher temperature resulted in a lower inhalation efficiency of cocaine. In that case, more methylecgonidine was produced. Furthermore, in the pyrolysis of crack, the lower concentration of cocaine in crack resulted in a lower inhalation efficiency of cocaine. The major pyrolysis product of cocaine HCl was a mixture of alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-carbomethoxycyclo-heptatrienes, and the major pyrolysis product of crack was methylecgonidine. This study proposes a new method of discrimination between cocaine HCl and crack by GC or GC/MS with a curie point pyrolyzer.