Acetic Acid → N-Methylmescaline

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of the crude oil of 3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenethylamine in tetrahydrofuran (30 ml) was added to a mixed acid anhydride of acetic acid and formic acid, which had been synthesized by adding 98% formic acid (6.2 ml) to acetic anhydride (12.5 ml) under ice-cooling and reacting at 60° C. for 3 hours, under room temperature and stirred for 17 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure and tetrahydrofuran (40 ml) and borane-methyl sulfide complex (12 ml) were added to the residue under ice-cooling and stirring. The reaction mixture was heated and refluxed for 17 hours. After the reaction mixture was cooled, methanol was added to stop the reaction and concentrated under reduced pressure. A hydrogen chloride-methanol solution was added to the residue and heated and refluxed for 3 hours. The solvent was distilled out under reduced pressure and the residue was dissolved in 2N hydrochloric acid and washed with dichloromethane. The aqueous layer was made basic with sodium hydroxide and the released oil material was extracted with dichloromethane. After washed with water and dried over potassium carbonate, the solvent was distilled out under reduced pressure to yield N-methyl-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine (1.61 g) as a colorless oil.

Provenance & Evidence