Many times in my interactions on the Internet and in real life I've seen asked, " does anyone recognize this cut in my drugs?" The truth we all know is that reliable information on identification of common drug adulterants is fairly sparse and most of these questions never get a response with any amount of credibility.
So. Here I will start what I hope can become a trend of highlighting pure forms of common adulterants. I picked this up for a good price from Amazon because I liked the versatility of being able to add it to whatever preparation I want.. I realized there was an opportunity to contribute to the collective knowledge here, so I will.
Benzocaine , reagent grade IUPAC name ; Ethyl-4-aminobebzoate CAS# 94-09-07
The raw form, straight from the container;
Mixed with 20°C+-H²O. It didn't seem very soluble at this temperature 
Here the benzocaine was heated in water until it melted and was allowed to recrystallize.
I'd like to point out that I never heated the mixture to dryness and as such the reactants never exceeded 100°C. The yellow coloration that was obtained is probably no table and diagnostic. The crystal forms I see are 1, an amorphous Simi-cryatalline surface haze, and 2,:an apparently monoclinic sharp Crystal with a pretty chunky rectangular profile.
I should mention, the heating of the solution released an odor that was unmistakably the same scent most people associate with cocaine. Indistinctly sweet and also astringent. I have never smelled cocaine that lacked this component.
moving along , this is a different pile of benzocaine, dissolved in anhydrous isopropanol. It was very soluble at room temperature and disappeared instantly.
Next we have crystals from anhydrous acetone. Some visually interesting forms.
Hopefully these pictures will be of use to someone in the identification of benzocaine as a drug adulterants. I have a couple other solvents here so if you are interested in benzocaine crystals from ethyl acetate, chloroform, formaldehyde or the reaction to marquis reagent, just say the word and I'll add them. Perhaps I will add them tomorrow for posterity, as it's late here, or early.
So. Here I will start what I hope can become a trend of highlighting pure forms of common adulterants. I picked this up for a good price from Amazon because I liked the versatility of being able to add it to whatever preparation I want.. I realized there was an opportunity to contribute to the collective knowledge here, so I will.
Benzocaine , reagent grade IUPAC name ; Ethyl-4-aminobebzoate CAS# 94-09-07
The raw form, straight from the container;
Here the benzocaine was heated in water until it melted and was allowed to recrystallize.
I'd like to point out that I never heated the mixture to dryness and as such the reactants never exceeded 100°C. The yellow coloration that was obtained is probably no table and diagnostic. The crystal forms I see are 1, an amorphous Simi-cryatalline surface haze, and 2,:an apparently monoclinic sharp Crystal with a pretty chunky rectangular profile.
I should mention, the heating of the solution released an odor that was unmistakably the same scent most people associate with cocaine. Indistinctly sweet and also astringent. I have never smelled cocaine that lacked this component.
moving along , this is a different pile of benzocaine, dissolved in anhydrous isopropanol. It was very soluble at room temperature and disappeared instantly.
Next we have crystals from anhydrous acetone. Some visually interesting forms.
Hopefully these pictures will be of use to someone in the identification of benzocaine as a drug adulterants. I have a couple other solvents here so if you are interested in benzocaine crystals from ethyl acetate, chloroform, formaldehyde or the reaction to marquis reagent, just say the word and I'll add them. Perhaps I will add them tomorrow for posterity, as it's late here, or early.