Lysergic Acid → (+)-Lysergic acid diethylamide

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 10.0 g (0.037 mol) of d-lysergic acid in 500 ml of dry dimethyl formamide (DMF), under argon, was treated with 9.0 g of carbonyl diimidazole and stirred at room temperature for 1 hour The reaction was then treated with 38 ml of diethylamine and stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up in 500 ml of methylene chloride and washed with 500 ml of water. Insoluble material was removed by filtration and the layers were separated. The organic portion was washed with 250 ml of saturated brine solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was chromatographed on 800 g of silica gel using 3% methanol in methylene chloride to yield 9.0 g (75%) of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as a light brown amorphous solid after evaporation of the solvents.

Provenance & Evidence