Chen Y.-H.Yang C.-Y.Cheng C.W.Lin Y.-Y.Kuo S.L.LING-WEI HSIN2021-07-072021-07-072017218561https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85019645973&doi=10.1021%2facs.jafc.7b00130&partnerID=40&md5=a72de6aca15c14b6aa7610b2cdb4b5d7https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/5704724-[2-(t-Butylamino)-1-hydroxyethyl]phenol (buctopamine, 4), a new β2 receptor agonist (β2-agonist), was found to be an adulterant in feed additives for swine in Taiwan, where using β2-agonists in food-production animals is prohibited. Buctopamine and its metabolite, 4-[2-(t-butylamino)-1-hydroxyethyl]-2-methoxyphenol (mebuctopamine, 2), were detected in swine hair specimens. Authentic compounds 2 and 4 were synthesized with 98.6% and 97.7% purity, respectively, as reference standards for analysis, and both compounds were more hydrophilic than ractopamine and clenbuterol. In a preliminary pharmacological evaluation, compounds 2 and 4 exhibited moderate human β2 receptor binding affinity and did not show significant affinities for the human α1, α2, β1, and β3 receptors. After addition of compounds 2-4 into the β2-agonist library, a multiresidue analysis of 26 β2-agonists by using triple quadrupole LC/MS/MS for routine screening conducted by regulatory authorities was established, in which the common limits of quantification for the 26 β2-agonists in swine feed and hair are 10 and 25 ng/g, respectively. In addition, the illegal use of buctopamine (4) has been effectively prevented. The results of this study are also useful for controlling the illegal use of new β2-agonists in food-production animals. © 2017 American Chemical Society.feed additive; hair; identification; metabolite; β2-agonist[SDGs]SDG2[SDGs]SDG3[SDGs]SDG16Additives; Animals; Binding energy; Crime; Identification (control systems); Metabolites; Feed additives; Food production; hair; Multi-residue analysis; Receptor binding; Reference standard; Regulatory authorities; Triple quadrupole; Biomolecules; beta adrenergic receptor stimulating agent; food additive; analysis; animal; animal food; chemical structure; chemistry; hair; metabolism; pig; Taiwan; Adrenergic beta-Agonists; Animal Feed; Animals; Food Additives; Hair; Molecular Structure; Swine; Taiwanjournal article10.1021/acs.jafc.7b00130284532892-s2.0-85019645973