DEA list of chemicals
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration maintains lists regarding the classification of illicit drugs. It also maintains List I of chemicals and List II of chemicals, which contain chemicals that are used to manufacture the controlled substances/illicit drugs. The list is designated within the Controlled Substances Act but can be modified by the U.S. Attorney General as illegal manufacturing practices change.
Although the list is controlled by the Attorney General, the list is considered a DEA list because the DEA publishes and enforces the list.
Suppliers of these products are subject to regulation and control measures:
| Regulation | List I | List II | Tableting and Encapsulating Machines | Special Surveillance List |
| Know your customer | X | X | X | X |
| Annual manufacturing, inventory, and use reports for bulk manufacturers | X | X | X | |
| 15 day advanced DEA notice required for imports, exports, and transshipments | X | X | ||
| 15 day advanced DEA notice required for international transactions | X | X | ||
| Keep transaction records for at least two years | X | X | ||
| Maintain effective security controls | X | X | ||
| Required reporting for unusual sales and losses or sales to DEA-identified companies | X | X | ||
| Registration required for manufacturing, distribution, import, or export | X | |||
| Reports of mail-order sales to non-regulated entities | X |
List I chemicals
These chemicals are designated as those that are used in the manufacture of the controlled substances and are important to the manufacture of the substances:| Chemical | Illicit drug |
| Alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile and its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | phenylacetone, methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Anthranilic acid, its esters, and its salts | methaqualone and analogues |
| Benzyl cyanide | phenylacetic acid, phenylacetone, amphetamine |
| Ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | methamphetamine |
| Ergonovine and its salts | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| Ergotamine and its salts | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| N-Acetylanthranilic acid, its esters, and its salts | methaqualone |
| Norpseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | amphetamine |
| Phenylacetic acid, its esters, and its salts | phenylacetone, amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Phenylpropanolamine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Piperidine and its salts | phencyclidine and analogues |
| Pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | methamphetamine |
| 3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone | MDMA, MDA, MDEA, MDOH |
| Methylamine and its salts | methamphetamine |
| Ethylamine and its salts | etilamfetamine |
| Propionic anhydride | fentanyl |
| Isosafrole | MDMA, MDA |
| Safrole | MDMA, MDA |
| Piperonal | MDMA, MDA |
| N-Methylephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | methamphetamine |
| N-Methylpseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers | methamphetamine |
| Hydroiodic acid | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Benzaldehyde | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Nitroethane | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Gamma butyrolactone | Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid |
| Red phosphorus | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| White phosphorus | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Hypophosphorous acid and its salts | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| N-Phenethyl-4-piperidone | fentanyl |
| Iodine | methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| Ergocristine and its salts | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| N--N-phenylpropionamide and its salts | fentanyl |
| N-phenylpiperidin-4-amine, its amides, its carbamates, and its salts | fentanyl |
| 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidate and its optical and geometric isomers | MDMA and other "ecstasy"-type substances |
| 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidic acid and its salts, optical and geometric isomers, and salts of isomers | MDMA and other "ecstasy"-type substances |
| Alpha-phenylacetoacetamide and its optical isomers | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate and its optical isomers | phenylacetone, methamphetamine, amphetamine |
| 4-Piperidone | fentanyl |
| 1-boc-4-AP and its salts | fentanyl |
List II chemicals
These chemicals are designated as those that are used in the manufacture of controlled substances:Special Surveillance List
Chemicals
All listed chemicals as specified in 21 CFR 1310.02 or. This includes supplements which contain a listed chemical, regardless of their dosage form or packaging and regardless of whether the chemical mixture, drug product or dietary supplement is exempt from regulatory controls. For each chemical, its illicit manufacturing use is given in parentheses. Some Special Surveillance List chemicals do not have an exclusive manufacturing use for a specific illicit drug but rather have a broad range of uses in both legitimate and illicit manufacturing operations.| Chemical | Illicit drug |
| Phenyl-2-nitropropene | substituted amphetamines |
| 1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| Carbonyldiimidazole | LSD |
| 1,1-Dichloro-1-fluoroethane | solvent |
| N-benzyl-4-piperidone | fentanyl |
| chloroephedrine | methamphetamine |
| Butyrophenone | substituted cathinones |
| Valerophenone | substituted cathinones |
| Propiophenone | substituted cathinones |
| 2C-H | 2C-x and DOx |
| 2-bromo-1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 2-bromo-1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 2-bromo-1-propan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 2-bromo-1-phenylpentan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| 2-bromo-1-phenylpropan-1-one | substituted cathinones and substituted amphetamines |
| BMK glycidic acid and esters | methamphetamine |
| 3-oxo-2-phenylbutanoic acid and its esters | methamphetamine |
| 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-nitropropene | MDMA |
| Ammonia gas | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Ammonium formate | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Azobisisobutyronitrile | radical initiator |
| Bromobenzene | phencyclidine |
| 1,4-Butanediol | GHB and Gamma-Butyrolactone |
| Cyclohexanone | phencyclidine |
| Diethylamine and its salts | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| ethyl 3-oxo-4-phenylbutanoate | phenylacetone |
| ethyl-3--2-methyloxirane-2-carboxylate | MDMA |
| Formamide | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Formic acid | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Lithium aluminum hydride | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Lithium metal | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Magnesium metal | phencyclidine |
| Mercuric chloride | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| methyl 2--3-oxobutanoate | MDMA |
| N-Methylformamide | amphetamine, methamphetamine |
| Organomagnesium halides | phencyclidine |
| ortho-Toluidine | methaqualone |
| 2-Phenylethyl bromide | fentanyl |
| Phenylethanolamine and its salts | - |
| Phosphorus pentachloride | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| Potassium dichromate | general-purpose oxidizing agent |
| Pyridine and its salts | general-purpose solvent |
| Sodium borohydride | reducing agent |
| Sodium dichromate | general-purpose oxidizing agent |
| Sodium metal | phenylacetone |
| Sodium triacetoxyborohydride | reducing agent |
| para-fluoro-1-boc-4-anilopiperidine | parafluorofentanyl |
| Thioglycolic acid | modafinil |
| Thionyl chloride | lysergic acid diethylamide |
| Trichloromonofluoromethane | - |
| 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane | - |