From: [d--e] at [unislc.slc.unisys.com] (Dale Clark)
Subject: METHAMPHETAMINE
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 15:00:38 -0600 (MDT)
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METHAMPHETAMINE
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GENERAL INFO
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N,(alpha)-Di-methylbenzeneethanamine; d-N,(alpha)-dimethylphenethylamine;
d-N-methylamphetamine; d-deoxyephedrine; d-desoxyephedrine; 1-phenyl-2-
methylaminopropane; d-phenylisopropylmethylamine; methyl-(beta)-
phenylisopropylamine; Norodin. C10 H15 N. Melting point 170-175F.
Bitter taste. Soluble in water. Practically insoluble in ether.
A 1% aqueous solution is neutral or slightly acid to litmus.
STRUCTURE
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-----
// \\
|| ||---- CH2CHCH3
\\ // |
----- NHCH3
COMMERCIAL DRUG NAMES
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Amphedroxyn, Desfedrin, Desoxyfed, Desoxyn, Destim, Dexoval, D-O-E,
Doxephrin, Drinalfa, Efroxine, Gerobit, Hiropon, Isophen, Madrine,
Meth, Methampex, Methedrine, Methylisomyn, Pervitin, Semoxydrine,
Soxysympamine, Syndrox, Tonedron.
LD-50
----
I.P. in mice: 70 mg/kg.
ACTIONS
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Dextroamphetamine is approximately twice as potent as amphetamine and
methamphetamine is intermediate in this respect. To some extent,
methamphetamine exerts fewer pheripheral effects than amphetamine.
Specifically 'speed' refers to only one amphetamine - Methadrine
or Methamphetamine - which was first used during World War II
by Nazi soldiers to combat fatigue that resulted from fighting for
days without sleep.
Methamphetamine is a dopaminolytic agent which decreases the transmission
of dopamine, and blocks the release and re-uptake of dopamine and
norepinephrine. The drug is well absorbed from the digestive tract,
causing clinical effects within 30 minutes. Depending on strength,
subjective and objective reactions can last from several hours to
a few days. The drug can be taken orally, inhaled, or injected.
Methamphetamine is also a sympathomimetic amine with CNS stimulant activity.
Peripheral actions include elevation of systolic and diastolic blood
pressures and weak bronchodilator and respiratory stimulant action.
The primary site of metabolism is in the liver by aromatic hydroxylation,
N-dealkylation and deamination. At least seven metabolites have been
identified in the urine. The biologic half-life has been reported to
be 4-5 hours. Excretion occurs primarily in the urine and is dependent
on urine pH. Alkaline urine will significantly increase the drug half-
life. Approximately 62% of an oral dose is eliminated in the urine
within the first 24 hours, with approximately 1/3 as intact drug, and
the remainder as metabolites.
Unlike cocaine and most other CNS stimulants, methamphetamine induces
tolerance. Tolerance develops slowly, but a progressive increase in
dosage can occur and permits the eventual ingestion or injection of amounts
several hundredfold greater than the usual therapeutic dose. The
tolerance to various effects develops unequally, so that nervousness and
sleeplessness persist and psychotoxic effects, such as hallucinations
and delusions may occur. However, even massive doses are rarely fatal.
Chronic users have injected as much as 15,000 mg in 24 hours without
observable illness. For neophytes, however, rapid injection of 120 mg
may be fatal, although some individuals have survived 400 to 500 mg.
Methamphetamine abusers are prone to accidents because of the excitation and
grandiosity produced and the accompanying excessive fatigue of
sleeplessness. IV administration may lead to serious antisocial behavior
and can precipitate a schizophrenic episode. A paranoid psychosis almost
ineviably results from long-term use of high doses.
The usual therapeutic dose is 20-25mg/day for behavioral syndrome
characterized by moderate to severe distractibility, short attention span,
hyperactivity, emotional lability and impulsivity, 10 or 15mg/day for
the treatment of obesity.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
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Potentiates cyclic antidepressants. Methamphetamine should never be taken
during, or within 14 days following, the administration of MAO
(monoamine oxidase inhibitors) or hypertensive crises may result. It
is also not advisable for persons with glaucoma, advanced arteriosclerosis,
symptomatic cardiovascular disease, moderate to severe hypertension, or
hyperthyroidism.
CREATION PROCESS
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Methamphetamine is prepared by the catalytic hydrogenation of ephedrine
in acetic acid, containing a small amount of perchloric acid as an
activator. This process requires from 4 to 5 hours, although some
say 6 to 8 hours, for completion. Methamphetamine may also be
prepared by the reaction between phenylacetone and methylamine,
then the final reduction to methamphetamine. This process requires
6 to 8 hours from completion.
Materials: 95-100% ethanol, Sodium Borohydride, 250 ml round bottom glass
flask, reflux condenser, rubber tubing, Sudafed nasal decongestant capsules,
glass extraction funnel, 1 molar Sodium Hydroxide, anhydrous Sodium Sulfate,
diethyl ether, Safety goggles, Safety shield ( plexiglass...1-2" thick ),
Safety apron and gloves. It's also advisable to have a dry chemical fire
extinguisher available at all times. Blue and red litmus paper, and
about a litre of saturated salt solution (1 gram per 23 mls).
At ALL stages, glassware should be kept very dry.
Theory: You will perform a catalytic dehydrogenolysis on pseudoephedrine,
converting it into methylamphetamine (speed, ice, or glass are common names).
Structure of synthesis: This procedure is broken up into two parts;
1) the production and purification of pseudoephedrine free base.
2) the production and purification of methylamphetamine free base.
The production and purification of pseudoepehdrine free base
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Method: Take 10 sudafed capsules apart, and place the little round granules
into a clean dish. These granules contain the pseudoephedrine hydrochloride
and inorganic filler. Crush the granules until they are no more than a very
fine powder. I suggest using the 100 milligram capsules at this point.
Approximate end yield will be roughly 1 gram of product.
Place 100 mls of room temperature water into the extraction funnel,
and CAREFULLY add all of the powdder into the funnel. Place a cap on the
funnel, invert, and open the stopcock. MAKE SURE YOU ARE WEARING YOUR SAFETY
GOGGLES AT THIS POINT! Swirl the funnel around to dissolve the material.
There will be a significant amount of undissolved white powder; do not be
concerned, this is inorganic filler. After 10 mins of shaking, dip a glass
rod into the liquid and touch the drop on the tip of the stirring rod to a
piece of moist BLUE litmus paper. The litmus paper should turn red where it
has been touched. This means that the solution is acidic, and that a
significant proportion of the pseudoephedrine hydrochloride has in fact
dissolved in the water. If the litmus paper has turned red, you can go on to
the next step. If not, repeat he shaking 5 more minutes until the litmus
paper does turn red.
Add 50 mls of diethyl ether to the separation funnel. BE VERY CAREFUL AT THIS
STAGE. MAKE SURE YOU ARE WORKING IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA AND PLEASE DON'T
DO SOMETHING STUPID LIKE SMOKE CIGARETTES OR YOU DESERVE WHAT WILL HAPPEN!
The diethyl ether is less dense than the water solution and will float on top.
Add 10 mls of the 1 molar sodium hydroxide, cap the funnel, invert and
IMMEDIATELY release the stopcock to vent off the gas that forms. Point the
end of the funnel AWAY from your eyes! Periodically swirl and vent the funnel
to release any gas. When no more gas is given off after venting, draw off a
little of the liquid from the lower layer into a thimble. Test it with a piece
of moist RED litmus paper. If it stays red, add 10 more mls of the sodium
hydroxide solution, invert funnel, swirl and vent until no more gas is given
off. Repeat this UNTIL the red litmus paper turns blue. At this stage, the
water solution is basic, the pseudoephedrine hydrochloride is in the free base
form, and is located entirely within the diethyl ether layer.
Draw off the lower water layer and discard it. Pour off the ether
layer into a beaker with 10 grams of anhydrous sodium sulfate. The sodium
sulfate is a drying agent and will remove most of the water that is in the
ether solution (very little really since ether is non polar and water is very
polar). Cap the beaker with a piece of saran wrap and let it sit in a well
ventilated COOL area overnite (not the fridge). Don't smoke within 2 miles of
this. Ether is FLAMMABLE and forms EXPLOSIVE peroxides which tend to
spontaneously detonate.
Decant off the ether into a dry round bottom flask. Heat this flask
over a pot of very hot water. This will take only a few minutes to evaporate.
You will be left with a clear syrupy liquid that looks like childrens tylenol
drops. This is the pure pseudoephedrine free base.
Production of methylamphetamine free base
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Add the 95% ethanol or everclear drop by drop until the sludge is
dissolved. It should go into solution very easily. I doubt it if many people
will be able to get 100% ethanol, but the purer the better, since trace
amounts of water inhibit the next step in the preparation.
Total volume should not exceed 50 mls at this point. You can make
the solution up to 50 mls if you wish. VERY carefully add 1 gram of sodium
borohydride to the solution, add the relux condensor to the top of the round
bottom flask, and start to boil the mixture (eg, on a hot plate...NOT on an
open flame. The cold water going thru the reflux condensor will keep the
ethanol from evaporating, yet the high temperature of the reaction vessel will
allow the reaction to go forward as desired. Let this go for about 4 hours.
Take away from the hot plate and let cool slowly to room temperature.
AFTER the solution has cooled to room temperature, add 50 mls of
saturated salt solution. At this point, you should see little oil drops
floating on the surface of the liquid. This is methylamphetamine. Add 50 mls
of diethyl ether to the COOLED flask( room temperature is ok ). Transfer the
contents to a separatory funnel, cap, invert, and IMMEDIATELY open the
stopcock. Some gas will escape. Close the stopcock, gently swirl, and open to
vent off and gas. Repeat until no more pressure developes after 5-10 seconds
of gentle agitation.
Draw off the lower layer and set aside for a moment. Drain the upper
ether layer into a beaker containing 10 grams of sodium sulfate. Add the layer
that you had set aside BACK to the separatory funnel, and add another 50 mls
of ether. Cap, invert, vent, etc until NO more pressure developes. Drain off
the lower water layer and discard. Drain the ether layer into the beaker with
the first portion of ether. Cover this with saran wrap and let sit over nite.
Decant the ether solution into a clean beaker and gently heat this
over very hot water. As the ether evaporates( please use good ventilation ),
you will be left with a beige sludge. This beige sludge is methylamphetamine.
You can do two things at this stage; i) Prepare 'glass' for smoking or
freebasing, or prepare crystal meth for shooting up.
i) if you want to prepare solid ice, stick the beaker in the freezer,
and wait for crystal formation.
ii) if you want to prepare `crystal' for shooting up, dissolve the beige
ice in about 10 mls of anhydrous (very dry) diethyl ether. Add ethereal
HCL drop by drop. After each drop, you'll see a little white suspension
form. This is methylamphetamine hydrochloride. Add ethereal HCL until
no more white powder forms. You could then decant off any ether, and
let the powder dry on tinfoil or whatever. This should be 90% pure.
CHEMICAL COMMERCIAL USE / HAZARDS
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ephedrine Pharmaceuticals.
formamide Solvent, organic preparations.
IRRITANT
hydroxylamine Organic preparations.
EXPLOSIVE / CORROSIVE
methylamine Photographic developer, rocket propellant,
paint remover, solvent, dyes, insecticide.
IRRITANT
n-methylformamide Organic synthesis.
IRRITANT
phenylacetone Pharmaceuticals.
(phenyl-2-propanone) IRRITANT