Characterization of 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethyl Tosylate, a Synthetic Intermediate of 2C–B, Identified in a Seized Pink Heart-Shaped Tablet

A pink heart-shaped tablet, seized by law enforcement authorities, was found to contain a compound structurally related to 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C–B), a new psychoactive substance (NPS). An extensive analytical investigation based on one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, combined with liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses, enabled the unambiguous identification of a new compound as 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethyl tosylate, a putative synthetic intermediate in the synthesis of 2C–B. Finally, the targeted synthesis of the proposed structure provided independent confirmation of the correct structural assignment.