DEA list of chemicals

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains lists regarding not only the classification of illicit drugs (see DEA Schedules). It also maintains List I of chemicals and List II of chemicals, which contain chemicals which are used to manufacture the controlled substances/illicit drugs. The lists are designated within The Controlled Substances Act,, Definition 34 (list I) and 35 (list II).

Although the list is designated by the U.S. 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.

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.


 * anthranilic acid, its esters, and its salts
 * benzyl cyanide
 * ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers
 * ergonovine and its salts
 * ergotamine and its salts
 * hydriodic acid
 * hypophosphorous acid and its salts (including ammonium hypophosphite, calcium hypophosphite, iron hypophosphite, potassium hypophosphite, manganese hypophosphite, magnesium hypophosphite and sodium hypophosphite)
 * Iodine, including elemental iodine crystals and chemical mixtures containing greater than 2.2% concentration of iodine (e.g., strong iodine tincture and Lugol's iodine)
 * N-acetylanthranilic acid, its esters, and its salts
 * norpseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers
 * phenylacetic acid, its esters, and its salts
 * phenylpropanolamine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers
 * phosphorus (white or red allotropes)
 * piperidine and its salts
 * pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of optical isomers
 * 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone
 * benzaldehyde
 * nitroethane
 * gamma butyrolactone
 * N-Phenethyl-4-piperidinone
 * the following chemicals or the salt, optical isomer, or salt of an optical isomer of the following chemicals
 * methylamine
 * ethylamine
 * propionic anhydride
 * isosafrole
 * safrole
 * piperonal
 * N-methylephedrine
 * N-methylpseudoephedrine

List II chemicals
These chemicals are designated as those that are used in the manufacture of the controlled substances.


 * acetic anhydride
 * acetone
 * benzyl chloride
 * diethyl ether
 * potassium permanganate
 * 2-butanone (or methyl ethyl ketone)
 * toluene
 * hydrochloric acid (including anhydrous hydrogen chloride)
 * sulfuric acid
 * methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)