Simon's Test
Definition
A presumptive test that uses sodium nitroprusside and sodium carbonate to detect secondary amines (N-methyl group). Methamphetamine and MDMA (secondary amines) give a blue colour; amphetamine (primary amine) gives no colour. The test distinguishes secondary amine stimulants from primary amine stimulants.
- Reagents
- Sodium nitroprusside and sodium carbonate
- Target group
- Secondary amines (N-methyl group)
- Positive result
- Blue colour with methamphetamine or MDMA
- Negative result
- No colour change with amphetamine (primary amine)
Common questions
Why is Simon's test run after a Marquis test in casework?+
Marquis colour alone cannot separate amphetamine from methamphetamine or MDMA since all can give similar reactions; Simon's test adds a second, chemically distinct check that responds only to the secondary amine structure, narrowing the field before confirmatory analysis.
Can a positive Simon's test be used to identify the drug in court?+
No, it is a presumptive screening test only. A positive or negative colour result must be followed by a confirmatory instrumental method, typically GC-MS, before an identification can be reported.
Related terms
- Cobalt Thiocyanate
- Co(SCN)2 in aqueous solution; the active reagent in the Scott test for cocaine. Cocaine forms a lipophilic blue complex with cobalt thiocyanate...
- Duquenois-Levine Test
- A three-reagent presumptive test for cannabinoids: vanillin + acetaldehyde in ethanol (Reagent 1), concentrated hydrochloric acid (Reagent 2), and chloroform partition (Reagent...
- False Positive (Presumptive Test)
- A positive colour response from a compound that is not the targeted controlled substance. Common sources include diphenhydramine (Marquis orange, Scott blue),...
- Mandelin Reagent
- Ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) in concentrated sulphuric acid. Useful for amphetamines (orange-red), MDMA (dark blue-black) and cocaine (yellow-orange). The Mandelin-Marquis panel is recommended...
- Marquis Reagent
- A presumptive drug test reagent consisting of formaldehyde in concentrated sulphuric acid, first described by Edmund Marquis in 1896. It produces characteristic...
- Mecke Reagent
- Selenious acid (H2SeO3) dissolved in concentrated sulphuric acid. More selective than Marquis for the opioid alkaloid skeleton; morphine and heroin give a...
- NIK Polytesting
- A field drug testing approach using the NIK Public Safety sealed ampoule system, where multiple colour tests are run sequentially on the...
- Scott Test
- A three-step cobalt thiocyanate presumptive test for cocaine and its salts. Step 1: cobalt thiocyanate reagent (blue in aqueous phase). Step 2:...
- SWGDRUG Category C
- The lowest tier in the Scientific Working Group for the Analysis of Seized Drugs classification. Category C methods (including colour tests, microcrystal...