Designation of Alpha-Phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN), a Precursor Chemical Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Phenylacetone, Methamphetamine, and Amphetamine, as a List I Chemical

The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to designate the chemical alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN) and its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers, as a list I chemical under the Controlled Substances Act. APAAN is used in clandestine laboratories to illicitly manufacture the schedule II controlled substances phenylacetone (also known as phenyl-2-propanone or P2P), methamphetamine, and amphetamine and is important to the manufacture of these controlled substances. This action does not propose the establishment of a threshold for domestic and international transactions of APAAN. As such, all transactions involving APAAN, regardless of size, would be regulated. In addition, this action proposes that chemical mixtures containing APAAN would not be exempt from regulatory requirements at any concentration. Therefore, all transactions of chemical mixtures containing any quantity of APAAN would be regulated pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act.