Hydrochloric Acid → (+-)-Norketamine

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To 250 ml of Dowtherm-A™ at 200° C. was added in one portion the hydrochloride of compound 3 (20 g, 0.077 mol) and the mixture was stirred at 200° C. for 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was then cooled at 110° C., and the precipitate formed was removed and discarded by filtration. The filtrate was diluted in ether and extracted in water (2×200 ml). The combined aqueous phases were washed with ether, made alkaline with 6N sodium hydroxide and extracted in ether (2×150 ml). The combined ether layers were washed with water, dried and concentrated to dryness. The residue obtained was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (70% hexane/30% ethylacetate) to give norketamine free base (13.75 g, 80%) 4 as a colourless oil.

Provenance & Evidence