From: [d--e] at [unislc.slc.unisys.com] (Dale Clark) Subject: METHAMPHETAMINE Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 15:00:38 -0600 (MDT) ---------------------------------- METHAMPHETAMINE ---------------------------------- GENERAL INFO ------------ 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 --------- ----- // \\ || ||---- CH2CHCH3 \\ // | ----- NHCH3 COMMERCIAL DRUG NAMES --------------------- 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 ------- 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 ----------------- 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 ---------------- 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 -------- ------------------------ 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