Ephedrine → Methamphetamine

HRID 23812

Reaction equation

HRID 23812 reaction equation
[Li].[CH3:2][C@H:3]([NH:12][CH3:13])[C@H:4](O)[C:5]1[CH:6]=[CH:7][CH:8]=[CH:9][CH:10]=1>N>[CH3:2][C@H:3]([NH:12][CH3:13])[CH2:4][C:5]1[CH:6]=[CH:7][CH:8]=[CH:9][CH:10]=1

Participants

4

Reactant 2

HCID 9294EphedrineHCID 3028194Lithium

Product 1

HCID 10836Methamphetamine

Reagents, catalysts & solvents 1

HCID 222AmmoniaSolvent2×

Procedure

In the dissolving metal reduction method of methamphetamine synthesis, the ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine starting ingredient is obtained, often by extraction from over-the-counter cold medication. Anhydrous ammonia is obtained, typically by theft from agricultural supplies. Lithium metal is obtained from lithium batteries. Lithium metal is dissolved in the liquid, anhydrous ammonia to give a blue colored solution, to which ephedrine is added. The ammonia is allowed to boil off leaving the crude, free-base methamphetamine product, which is typically purified by common practice and converted to the hydrochloride salt.

Workup

  1. customto give a blue colored solution

Sources & evidence

ORD record
ord-375a7c2d3bf245fabb5ab2182518650a
Source dataset
uspto-grants-2005_02
Patent number
US06852891B2

Linked notes

Loading…