N,N-Dimethylpentylone (dipentylone)—A new synthetic cathinone identified in a postmortem forensic toxicology case series.

This article focuses on the emergence, detection, and forensic significance of N,N-dimethylpentylone, a synthetic cathinone belonging to the beta-keto methylenedioxyamphetamine subclass of novel psychoactive substances (NPS). A novel liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–QQQ-MS) method using standard addition was developed and validated to quantitatively confirm N,N-dimethylpentylone, its metabolite pentylone, and eutylone in postmortem cases. Analysis of 18 forensic cases from the United States revealed blood concentrations of N,N-dimethylpentylone ranging from 3.3 to 970 ng/mL, often in combination with other drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine, with several deaths attributed primarily to N,N-dimethylpentylone intoxication. Given its rising prevalence and structural similarity to other isomers, the study emphasizes the importance of analytical methods capable of distinguishing N,N-dimethylpentylone from related compounds and recommends its inclusion in routine forensic toxicology screening.