



Photo: Chris Howey / Shutterstock



Genius scientific paper* of the day: "A Simple and Convenient Synthesis of Pseudoephedrine From N-Methylamphetamine, by O. Hai and I. B. Hakkenshit." (PDF).

A response by annoyed Sudafed users to the onerous demands by pharmacies for ID and tracking, due to the fact that this helpful and common over-the-counter drug can be used to manufacture crystal meth.

Snip from the paper:

A novel and straightforward synthesis of pseudoephidrine from

readily available N-methylamphetamine is presented. This

practical synthesis is expected to be a disruptive technology

replacing the need to find an open pharmacy. Pseudoephedrine, active ingredient of Sudafed®, has long

been the most popular nasal decongestant in the United States

due to its effectiveness and relatively mild side effects [1]. In

recent years it has become increasingly difficult to obtain

psuedoephedine in many states because of its use as a

precursor for the illegal drug N-methylamphetamine (also

known under various names including crystal meth, meth, ice,

etc.)[1,2]. While in the past many stores were able to sell

pseudoephedrine, new laws in the United States have

restricted sales to pharmacies, with the medicine kept behind

the counter. The pharmacies require signatures and

examination of government issued ID in order to purchase

pseudoephedrine. Because the hours of availability of such

pharmacies are often limited, it would be of great interest to

have a simple synthesis of pseudoephedrine from reagents

which can be more readily procured.

A quick search of several neighborhoods of the United

States revealed that while pseudoephedrine is difficult to

obtain, N-methylamphetamine can be procured at almost any

time on short notice and in quantities sufficient for synthesis

of useful amounts of the desired material. Moreover,

according to government maintained statistics, Nmethylmphetamine is becoming an increasingly attractive

starting material for pseudoephedrine, as the availability of Nmethylmphetamine has remained high while prices have

dropped and purity has increased [2]. We present here a

convenient series of transformations using reagents which can

be found in most well stocked organic chemistry laboratories

to produce psuedoephedrine from N-methylamphetamine.

(via @ioerror. Images, via Shutterstock: At top, a type of glass pipe commonly used to smoke crystal meth. Inset, N-Methylamphetamine. Below, a LOL, referencing an episode in the first season of meth-themed TV show Breaking Bad, via @yesthatkarim.)