Selective uptake of the methamphetamine and amphetamine precursors safrole and benzyl methyl ketone (BMK) in air was obtained exploiting the molecular recognition properties of the quinoxaline-bridged cavitand (QxCav). The interactions responsible for the observed complexation were studied elucidating the molecular structures of the inclusion compounds with the analytes. Then, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) analyses were carried out on fibres coated with QxCav to test the receptor prowess towards the drug precursors uptake from air. Both safrole and BMK, concentration of which in the vapour phase is in the low microgram per cubic metre regime, are collected and pre-concentrated by the QxCav -SPME fibre, then thermally desorbed and identified via GC -MS.

No abstract