Marquis reagent

Short description: Mixture for identifying alkaloids

Marquis reagent is used as a simple spot-test to presumptively identify alkaloids as well as other compounds. It is composed of a mixture of formaldehyde and concentrated sulfuric acid, which is dripped onto the substance being tested. The United States Department of Justice method for producing the reagent is the addition of 100 mL of concentrated (95–98%) sulfuric acid to 5 mL of 40% formaldehyde.[1]: 12 Different compounds produce different color reactions. Methanol may be added to slow down the reaction process to allow better observation of the colour change.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Results
* 3 Mechanism
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## History

Marquis reagent was first discovered and tested in 1896 by pharmacologist Eduard Marquis (1871-1944), then a student of Rudolf Kobert at the University of Dorpat (in Tartu, Estonia).[2][3][4][5] The reagent was described by Marquis in his Master of Pharmacy dissertation in 1896[6] and subsequently named after him.

The reagent should be stored in the freezer for maximum shelf life.[7]

The above photo shows the positive results of the number 2 Marquis reagent presumptive drug test when used with a sample of opium.

It is the primary presumptive test used in Ecstasy reagent testing kits. It can also be used to test for such substances as opiates (e.g. codeine, heroin), and phenethylamines (e.g. 2C-B, mescaline).

The test is performed by scraping off a small amount of the substance and adding a drop of the reagent (which is initially clear and colorless). The results are analyzed by viewing the color of the resulting mixture, and by the time taken for the change in color to become apparent:

## Results

Reagent test results develop very quickly and due to reactions with moisture and oxygen in air, any changes after the first 60 seconds should be discarded.[8]

Marquis reagent test analysis  Substance  | Color  | Time (s)  | Notes

|
|
|

MDMA or MDA | purple to black  | 0–5 | May have dark purple tint
Amphetamine, or methamphetamine | orange to brown  | 0–5 | May have a brown tint
2C-B | yellow to green  | 5–10 | Color may change from initial result[8]
DXM  | gray to black  | 15–30 | Initially no change; takes much longer to reach black than MDMA
Final colors produced by Marquis Reagent with various substances[1]: 3–6 [9] Substance  | Color

|

βk-2C-B | Bright orange 30min
2C-B | Green-yellow 30min
2C-I | Green-yellow 30min
2,5-Dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB) | Olive green – yellow
5-MeO-MiPT | Clear/light brown[10]
Aspirin | Pink > deep red[11][12][13]
Benzphetamine | Deep reddish brown
Benzylpiperazine(BZP) | Clear (fizzes)
Buprenorphine | Pinkish violet
Butylone | Yellow[9]
Chlorpromazine | Deep purplish red
Codeine | Very dark purple
Caffeine | Transparent, no change
Cocaine | Transparent, no change
d-Amphetamine | Strong reddish orange – dark reddish brown
d-Methamphetamine | Deep reddish orange – dark reddish brown
Diacetylmorphine (Heroin) | Deep purplish red
Dimethoxy-4-amylamphetamine (DMAA) | No color change (fizzes)
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) | Orange
Diphenhydramine (DPH) | Yellow/orange > brown[14]
Dimethoxymethamphetamine HCL (DMMA) | Moderate olive
Doxepin | Blackish red
Dristan | Dark grayish red
Exedrine | Dark red
LSD | Clear (no reaction), charring of paper may occur [15]
Methoxetamine | Slow pink[9]
3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) | Dark purple – black
Methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine (MDEA) | Dark purple – black
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) | Dark purple – black
Methylenedioxypropylamphetamine (MDPR) | Dark purple – black
Methylone (M1/bk-MDMA/MDMC) | Yellow
Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) | Yellow
Pethidine/Meperidine | Deep brown
Mescaline | Strong orange
Methadone | Light yellowish pink
Methylphenidate | Moderate orange yellow
Methylene Blue | Dark green
Modafinil | Yellow/orange – brown[16]
Morphine | Deep purplish red
Opium | Dark grayish reddish brown
Oxycodone | Pale violet
Propoxyphene | Blackish purple
Sugar | Dark brown

## Mechanism

The colour change from morphine is proposed to be a result of two molecules of morphine and two molecules of formaldehyde condensing to the dimeric product which is protonated to the oxocarbenium salt.[17]

## See also

* Drug checking
* Drug test
* Dille–Koppanyi reagent
* Folin's reagent
* Froehde reagent
* Liebermann reagent
* Mandelin reagent
* Mecke reagent
* Simon's reagent
* Zwikker reagent

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Color Test Reagents/Kits for Preliminary Identification of Drugs of Abuse". Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program. July 2000. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/183258.pdf.
2. ↑ Ed. Marquis (1896-08-25), [[1], p. 549, at Google Books "Ueber den Verbleib des Morphins im thierischen Organismus"], Pharmaceutische Zeitschrift für Russland 35 (34): 549, [2], p. 549, at Google Books
3. ↑ Detlef Tiess (PDF), Rudolf KOBERTs Jahresberichte während des 1. Weltkrieges, pp. 358, https://www.gtfch.org/cms/images/stories/media/tb/tb2007/s347-360.pdf
4. ↑ [[3], p. 1315, at Google Books "Eduard Marquis (Dorpat): Ueber den Verbleib des Morphins im thierischen Organismus"], Wiener medizinische Presse 37 (42): 1315, 1896, [4], p. 1315, at Google Books
5. ↑ Toxicology. Volume 2 : mechanisms and analytical methods — New York, New York; San Francisco, California : Academic Press, 1961 — p. 247.
6. ↑ Marquis, Eduard. Über den Verbleib des Morphin im tierischen Organismus. Magister Dissertation 1896, Jurjew, Arb. Der Pharm. Inst. zu Dorpat 15, 117 (1896);
Pharmazeutische Zentralhalle für Deutschland., 814 (1896);
Pharmazeutische Zeitschrift für Russland. 38, 549 (1896).
7. ↑ "FAQ". https://elevationchemicals.com/pages/faq.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Reagent Testing Instructions". https://www.reagent-tests.uk/reagent-test-colours/.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Morris, Jeremiah. "Color Tests and Analytical Difficulties with Emerging Drugs". Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Criminalistics Laboratory: NIST. pp. 36. https://www.nist.gov/oles/upload/Color-Tests-and-Analytical-Difficulties-with-Emerging-Drugs-Morris.pdf. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
10. ↑ "EcstasyData 5-MeO-MiPT". http://www.ecstasydata.org/view.php?id=3590.
11. ↑ "Controlled Substances Procedures Manual". Virginia Department of Forensic Science. 2013. http://www.dfs.virginia.gov/manuals/controlledsubstances/procedures/221-d100 controlled substances procedures manual.pdf.
12. ↑ "Color Test Reagents/Kits for Preliminary Identification of Drugs of Abuse". Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program. July 2000. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/183258.pdf.
13. ↑ O’Neal, C. L.; Crouch, D. J.; Fatah, A. A. (2000). "Validation of twelve chemical spot tests for the detection of drugs of abuse". Forensic Science International 109 (3): 189–201. doi:10.1016/S0379-0738(99)00235-2. PMID 10725655.
14. ↑ Johns, S. H.; Wist, A. A.; Najam, A. R. (1979-07-01). "Spot Tests: A Color Chart Reference for Forensic Chemists" (in en). Journal of Forensic Sciences 24 (3): 631. doi:10.1520/JFS10882J. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b3d1/dc915600850d20e40b318541b4cbbd66274d.pdf.
15. ↑ "Marquis and LSD: Is color change visible?". https://erowid.org/columns/crew/2015/06/marquis-and-lsd-is-color-change-visible/.
16. ↑ Morris, Jeremiah (2004). "Analytical Profile of Modafinil" (PDF). Microgram Journal 3 (1–2): 28. http://www.erowid.org/library/periodicals/microgram/microgram_journal_2005-1.pdf#page=54. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
17. ↑ Lancashire, Robert J. (2011-10-13). "Unit 9: Crime - Reagent Kits". University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm/courses/CHEM2402/Crime/Reagent_Kits.html.

## External links

* Marquis reagent colors list, very comprehensive
* DHPedia - Marquis reagent: A comprehensive list of colour reactions with photos. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis reagent. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Chemistry:Marquis_reagent&oldid=4176824"