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Guidance

Drug precursor chemicals: category and CN codes

Published 8 May 2026

Category 1: Table I of the 1988 UN Convention

Substance CN code
1-phenyl-2-propanone (BMK) 2914 3100
3-4 Methylenedioxy-Phenylpropan-2-one (PMK) 2932 9200
Alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN) 2926 4000
Chloroephedrine 2939 7990
Chloropseudoephedrine 2939 7990
Ephedrine 2939 4100
Ergometrine 2939 6100
Ergotamine 2939 6200
Isosafrole 2932 9100
Lysergic Acid 2939 6300
N-acetylanthranilic Acid 2924 2300
Norephedrine 2939 4400
Piperonal 2932 9300
Pseudoephedrine 2939 4200
Safrole 2932 9400
4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine/ ‘N-phenyl-1-(2 phenylethyl)piperidin-4-amine (ANPP) 2933 3600
N-phenethyl-4-piperidone/‘1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4-one (NPP) 2933 3700
Methyl 3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2- methyloxirane-2-carboxylate (PMK methyl glycidate) 2932 9900
3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methyloxirane-2-carboxylic acid (PMK glycidic acid) 2932 9900
Alpha-phenylacetoacetamide (APAA) 2924 2970
Methyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (MAPA) 2918 3000
Methyl 2-methyl-3-phenyloxirane-2-carboxylate (BMK methyl glycidate) 2918 9990
2‐methyl-3-phenyloxirane-2- carboxylic acid (BMK glycidic acid) 2918 9990
Diethyl (phenylacetyl) propanedioate (DEPAPD)[footnote 1] 2918 30 00
Ethyl3-(2H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methyloxirane-2-carboxylate (PMK ethyl glycidate)[footnote 1] 2932 99 00
N-phenylpiperidin-4-amine (4-AP) [footnote 1] 2933 39 99
Tert-butyl 4-anilinopiperidine-1-carboxylate (1-boc-4-AP)[footnote 1] 2933 39 99
N-phenyl-N-(piperidin-4-yl)propenamide (norfentanyl)[footnote 1] 2933 39 99

Category 2A: Table I of the 1988 UN Convention

Substance CN code
Acetic Anhydride 2915 2400
Red Phosphorous[footnote 1] 2804 7000

Category 2B

Table I

Substance CN code
Phenylacetic Acid 2916 3400
Potassium Permanganate 2916 3400

Table II

Substance CN code
Anthranilic Acid 2922 4300
Piperidine 2933 3200

Category 3: Table II of the 1988 UN Convention

Substance CN code
Acetone 2914 1100
Ethyl Ether 2909 1100
Hydrochloric Acid 2806 1000
Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) 2914 1200
Sulphuric Acid 2807 0000
Toluene 2902 3000

Category 4: medicinal preparations of category 1 substances

Substance CN code
Ephedrine 3004 4100
Pseudoephedrine 3004 4200
  1. Controlled in Northern Ireland only  2 3 4 5 6