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 From: lamont@hyperreal.com (Lamont Granquist)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: chemistry: secrets of methamphetmine manufacuring...
Date: 10 Jun 1994 08:27:36 GMT
Message-ID: <2t985o$4kr@news.u.washington.edu>


     Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are structurally mirror images of   
     each other.  This is possible because they have a chiral center, the     
     isopropyl carbon to which the nitrogen atom is attached.  If the
     reduction is done in such a manner that the chiral nature of the
     substance is not jumbled (i.e. racemization), then ephedrine and
     pseudoephedrine give rise to "l" and "d" methamphetamine, respectively.
     The "l" form is several times more potent than the "d" form.  Meth
     produced from phenylacetone is a racemic mixture, meaning that it is
     a 50-50 mix of the "l" and "d" forms of meth.  Obviously, a batch of
     pure "l" form is most desireable, a racemic mixture is OK, and pure
     "d" form is bad news.

"Uncle Fester" needs to do more research.  l-ephedrine does give rise to the
more potent *d* form of methamphetamine.  both OTC ephedrine and 
pseudoephedrine should be useful for the synthesis (provided that it is
d-pseudoephedrine which is sold OTC -- which is the natural isomer).

My guess is that Fester extrapolated from using "l-ephedrine" to getting
"l-methamphetamine" which is quite wrong...

I'm not terribly impressed with this guy...

-- 
Lamont Granquist (lamont@hyperreal.com)
"And then the alien anthropologists - Admitted they were still perplexed - But
on eliminating every other reason - For our sad demise - They logged the only
explanation left - This species has amused itself to death" -- Roger Waters