Attributes of Similar Chemical Formulas?

I seek the advice of chemists and other knowledgeable scientists. I have discovered that the chemical formula for quinine, C20H24N2O2, commonly found in commercially available tonic waters, is similar to the chemical formula for cocaine, C17H21NO4. I have also discovered that drinking tonic water will trigger a false-positive urinalysis testing result. All of which leads to my question. Is the reason for false-positive testing results in urinalysis due to the similarity of chemical formulas of the two substances? Can you tell me whether gas-spectrum chromotography can be used to tell the difference? Thank you in advance for your kind consideration. I received a positive test result for cocaine yesterday during an employer-mandated urinalysis test, and I am very worried that the sample taken cannot be further tested to distinguish that the Canada Dry Tonic Water I drink to alleviate bicycle riding cramps is not, in fact, cocaine.

Answer:
Despite their similar size, the molecules are very dissimilar in structure and function. Gas chromatography can tell the difference, but liquid chromatography is more appropriate b/c the molecules are heavy (not easy to vaporize). It's usually coupled with mass spectrometry instrumentation. Either way, when the lab looks at urine analysis, they often analyze only the metabolic by-products of the original chemical. In the case of cocaine, it comes out in urine as benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester. Some of the quinine comes out unchanged.
I'm not sure what kind of test was used that managed to confuse the two chemicals.
To answer your question, yes, quinine will trigger a false positive test. Quinine is actually present in some forms of heroin and other illicit drugs. Quinine is what causes quick deaths in many overdose cases.

I don't really know if gas chromotography will tell the difference between the two molecules. Technically it should. I think it would, but I don't know if you can use it to refute your urine test.
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Cocaine structural formula: http://www.chemicalforums.com/organics/c...

Quinine structural formula:
http://students.chem.tue.nl/ana19/images...

There is some similarity between their structures.
But careful testing can lead to proper identification.

The test which you took, samples were most probably analysed by TLC (thin layer chromatography)
If not done diligently...often leads to wrong results.
http://www.analtech.com/technologies_uri...

GC (Gas chromatography) will give proper results.
You can also try IR(Infrared spectroscopy) as their exists basic difference in the aromatic rings.

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