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Bath salts, fumigations, cleaners and air fresheners, behind these terms substances are hidden, which count as “Legal Highs”. These fancy names are used to pretend Legal Highs as harmless compounds, to circumvent legal regulations for marketing as well as to increase the sales. Besides classic illicit drugs of synthetic origin such as amphetamines, cocaine and MDMA, the trade of these compounds, also known as new psychoactive substances (NPS), is not uncommon today. In many countries, NPS are still not subject to drug control. Among them, there are stimulants such as new amphetamine derivatives or cathinones, which possess a chiral centre. Little is known about the fact that the two possible enantiomers may differ in their pharmacological effect. The aim of this study was to test a novel HPLC column for the enantioseparation of a set of 112 NPS coming from different chemical groups and collected by internet purchases during the years 2010–2018. The CSP, namely Lux 5?μm i-Amylose-1, LC Column 250 x 4.6?mm, was run in normal phase mode under isocratic conditions, UV detection was performed at 245?nm and 230?nm, injection volume was 10?μl and flow rate was 1?ml/min. With a mobile phase consisting of n-hexane/isopropanol/diethylamine (90:10:0.1), herein, 79 NPS were resolved into their enantiomers successfully, for 37 of them baseline resolution was achieved. After increase of lipophily of the mobile phase to 99:1:0.1, another 27 compounds were baseline separated. It was found that all separated NPS are traded as racemic compounds.

A series of new benzene-based derivatives was designed, synthesized and comprehensively characterized. All of the tested compounds were evaluated for their in vitro ability to potentially inhibit the acetyl-and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes. The selectivity index of individual molecules to cholinesterases was also determined. Generally, the inhibitory potency was stronger against butyryl-compared to acetylcholinesterase; however, some of the compounds showed a promising inhibition of both enzymes. In fact, two compounds (23, benzyl ethyl(1-oxo-1-phenylpropan-2-yl)carbamate and 28, benzyl (1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl) (methyl)carbamate) had a very high selectivity index, while the second one (28) reached the lowest inhibitory concentration IC50 value, which corresponds quite well with galanthamine. Moreover, comparative receptor-independent and receptor-dependent structure–activity studies were conducted to explain the observed variations in inhibiting the potential of the investigated carbamate series. The principal objective of the ligand-based study was to comparatively analyze the molecular surface to gain insight into the electronic and/or steric factors that govern the ability to inhibit enzyme activities. The spatial distribution of potentially important steric and electrostatic factors was determined using the probability-guided pharmacophore mapping procedure, which is based on the iterative variable elimination method. Additionally, planar and spatial maps of the host–target interactions were created for all of the active compounds and compared with the drug molecules using the docking methodology.

2-(Ethylamino)-1-(4-methylphenyl)propan-1-one (shortly named 4-MEC) (1a), 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(methylamino)propan-1-one (shortly named methylone or 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone) (1b), 1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-2-(methylamino) propan-1-one (1c), 2-m