In the lefetamine synthesis here at BB, one step had the synthesis of dimethylamine (DMA) by treating DMF (N,N-dimethylformamide) with NaOH. The generated DMA was transported via tubing to a flask of MeOH where it was quickly dissolved.
Here is that procedure, posted by Patton :
In a flat-bottomed flask (FBF) was placed 10 g dimethylformamide (DMF) and 40 grams of a 30% NaOH solution was added, upon which the solution turned a yellow colour. The FBF was closed with a rubber stopper fitted with a glass tube, plastic tubing attached led from this tube to another glass tube immersed in 90 ml methanol in another FBF. The FBF containing the DMF/NaOH mixture was placed on a hotplate and the temperature was gradually increased until gas generation started (only gentle heating was needed, around 50°C). All dimethylamine dissolved readily in the methanol and there was no odour discomfort arising from this. When gas evolution ceases, the yellow colour of the original mixture suddenly faded and became clear. At this point, the alkaline hydrolysis of DMF has finished, so beware of suck back that will occur if one is careless! After weighing the dimethylamine in methanol solution, it was observed that the weight had increased by 4.75 g (
~77% yield or about 0.1 mole, ignoring the fact that the gas was not dried).
By extrapolation, this could be done with N-methylformamide, replacing the MeOH in the receiver for water, yielding an aqueous MeNH2 solution. For example, for a 30% MeNH2 solution, start with 70g DH2O in the receiving flask, and stop when the net weight in the receiving flask reaches 100g.