Harrison College of Pharmacy

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Research Interests

• Separation Science and Forensic Drug Chemistry
• Organic synthesis of indomethacin analogs as potential anticancer drugs

Organic synthesis, purification, and development of analytical methods for the differentiation of regioisomeric compounds in synthetic novel psychoactive substances (NPS). This includes several common NPS drug categories such as the substituted phenethylamines, synthetic cannabinoids (Spice), cathinone derivatives (Bath Salts), piperazine stimulants and the hallucinogenic NBOMe.

Utilizing hyphenated chromatographic techniques for conducting forensic analytical studies on designer drugs of abuse and their related compounds to differentiate between the drug of abuse and its related regioisomeric compounds. These techniques include Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Gas Chromatography-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (GC-ITMS), Gas Chromatography with Vapor Phase Infrared Detection (GC-vpIRD), electrospray ionization multi-stage mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn) and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS).

Utilizing NMR techniques for structural elucidation and identification of regioisomers related to synthetic NPS.

Chemical derivatization of designer drugs of abuse and their regioisomers using common derivatizing reagents like perfluoroacid anhydrides to enhance the sensitivity of detection and promote the differentiation and identification of these compounds.

Utilizing stable isotope labeling experiments using deuterium (D) and carbon 13 (C13) to provide a confirmation of the chemical structures of unique mass spectral fragment ions in the electron ionization (EI) mass spectra of designer drugs and as an aid to account for the proposed mass spectral fragmentation mechanisms of those designer drugs and their related regioisomers.

Synthesis and evaluation of indole/indene core structure analogs as potential anticancer drugs.

Studies that are designed to elucidate the mechanism of action of biologically active substances at the molecular level and the stereochemical aspects of drug-receptor interactions.

Selected Publications

• GC–MS and GC–IR of regioisomeric 4-N-bromodimethoxybenzyl derivatives of 3-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine. Mohammed Almaghrabi, Younis Abiedalla, Murali Dhanasakaran, Jack DeRuiter, C. Randall Clark. Forensic Chemistry 29 (2022) 100416.
• GC–MS and GC–IR of regioisomeric 4-N-methoxy- and dimethoxybenzyl derivatives of 3-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine. Mohammad Almalghrabi, Younis Abiedalla, Murali Dhanasakaran, Jack DeRuiter, C. Randall Clark. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 469 (2021) 116673.
• GC–MS and GC–IR analysis of substituted N-benzyl 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamines. Younis Abiedalla, Ahmad J. Almalki, Jack DeRuiter, C. Randall Clark. Forensic Chemistry 24 (2021) 100326.
• GC–MS analysis of methylenedioxybenzyl analogues of the serotonin receptor agonists 25X-NBOMe drugs. Ahmad J. Almalki, C. Randall Clark, Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter. Forensic Chemistry 21 (2020) 100284.
• Identification of novel fragmentation pathways and fragment ion structures in the tandem mass spectra of protonated synthetic cathinones. J. Tyler Davidson, Elettra L. Piacentino, Zachary J. Sasiene, Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter, C. Randall Clark, Giel Berden, Jos Oomens, Victor Ryzhov, Glen P. Jackson. Forensic Chemistry 19 (2020) 100245.
• Vapor phase infrared identification of regioisomeric N-(dimethoxybenzyl)-4-iodo- and 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamines. Ahmad J. Almalki, Lewis Smith, Younis Abiedalla, C. Randall Clark, Jack DeRuiter. Forensic Chemistry 19 (2020) 100239.
• Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography–infrared (GC–IR) analyses of the chloro-1-n-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)-indoles: Regioisomeric cannabinoids. Karim M. Abdel-Hay, Tarek S. Belal, Younis Abiedalla, Amber Thaxton-Weissenfluh, Jack DeRuiter, Forrest Smith, and C. Randall Clark. Applied Spectroscopy 73 (2019) 433-443.
• Disubstituted piperazine analogues of trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine and methylenedioxybenzylpiperazine: Analytical differentiation and serotonin receptor binding studies. Jack DeRuiter, Ashleigh Van Cleave, Audinei De Sousa Moura, Younis Abiedalla and C. Randall Clark. Forensic Sciences Research 3 (2018) 153-161.
• Correlation of vapor phase infrared spectra and regioisomeric structure in synthetic cannabinoids. Lewis W. Smith, Amber Thaxton-Weissenfluh, Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter, Forrest Smith, C. Randall Clark. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 196 (2018) 375-384.
• Analytical studies on the 2-naphthoyl substituted-1-n-pentylindoles: Regioisomeric synthetic cannabinoids. Amber Thaxton-Weissenfluh, Amsha S. Alsegiani, Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter, Forrest Smith, C. Randall Clark. Journal of Chromatography B 1077–1078 (2018) 77-84.
• Differentiation of the six dimethoxypyrovalerone regioisomers: ¬¬¬¬¬GC-MS, GC-MS/MS and GC-IR. Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter, Forrest Smith, C. Randall Clark. Talanta 171 (2017) 220-228.
• GC-MS, GC-MS/MS and GC-IR differentiation of desoxy cathinone derivatives: Cyclic tertiary amines related to MDPV. Younis Abiedalla, Jack DeRuiter, C. Randall Clark. Journal of Chromatography B 1048 (2017) 38-48.
• Differentiation of cyclic tertiary amine cathinone derivatives by product ion electron ionization mass spectrometry. Younis Abiedalla, Karim Abdel-Hay, Jack DeRuiter and C. Randall Clark. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 30 (2016) 763-772.