Studies on the phase I metabolites of the new designer drug 1-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-(pyrrolidine-1-yl)butan-1-one (5-PPDI) in human urine

Abstract Pyrrolidinophenones (PPs) are synthetic cathinones containing a pyrrolidine ring that are used recreationally worldwide. Recently, many studies on the metabolism and cytotoxicity of PPs have been published. Here, we focus on new designer drug containing an indan skeleton, 1-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-(pyrrolidine-1-yl)butan-1-one (5-PPDI), because there have been no reports to date regarding the metabolism of indan-type cathinones. The identification of 5-PPDI phase I metabolites in human urine enables us to determine whether a person has taken 5-PPDI. This metabolite detection approach plays a very important role in the field of forensic science. We synthesized analytical standards of 5-PPDI and four proposed metabolites. A urine sample was prepared by salting-out assisted liquid–liquid extraction with acetonitrile. Analyses of all standards and the urine sample were performed by liquid chromatography high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. As a result, we were able to detect 5-PPDI and its metabolites in the urine specimen. Two diastereomers of synthesized 1-OH metabolites were successfully separated, and only one diastereomer was observed in the urine specimen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the stereoselective reduction of PPs in humans. Further, we performed quantitative analyses of 5-PPDI and its metabolites in the urine. We identified three characteristic features of 5-PPDI phase I metabolism: (1) hydroxylation at the indan skeleton, (2) stereoselective reduction of the carbonyl group, and (3) hydroxylation of the indan skeleton possibly proceeding more preferentially than any other metabolization. In addition, several structural isomers and diastereomers of 2’-OH metabolites were detected. Based on these data, we propose phase I metabolic pathways of 5-PPDI, which will be essential in understanding the metabolism of other PPs with an indan skeleton.