I'm not an attorney and cannot give legal advice, but...
As an example, spray paint is not a controlled substance. But 'huffing' paint to get high is an illegal act. There are laws that prevent 'unlawful use' of otherwise lawful substances. Nitrous oxide is another example. It's not illegal to possess, unless for what a prosecutor considers an intention to commit an illegal act with it (getting high from it). Intent is a gray area, and in fact is based on how much evidence the prosecution can gather as to what you planned to do. If that 'research' compound is an AI or Nolva for instance, there's not much they can do other than try to get you for not having a prescription. If it's a steroid, they will try to prove that you intended to use it, in addition to being on the hook for having a controlled substance. Is that the info you needed?