Al/Hg reductive amination (MDMA) advice

[cooked_Chef]

Hi all!

Just a few questions in regards to the good ol' MM method, due to availability of materials in my country, I have weighed up options and this is the best for me.

Just wanting some advice on reductive amination:

1. What is the biggest quantity MDP2P/Nitromethane mix one can safely use? I see MM method calls for 25g MDP-2-P : 20mL MeNO2

Was thinking of doing 75g MDP-2-P : 60mL MeNO2

And also - is there any more advice for this particular method?

Kindest regards

 

[diogenes]

Hi, Is there any reason not to use MeNH2 insted of Nitroethane? If I understand well, the nitroethane breaks down into MeNH2 anyway, so could be an easier to get alternative.

 

[G.Patton]

I guess, you wanted to say nitroMethane*
Anyway, it is possible to carry out one-pot reduction.

 

[diogenes]

Patton, yes, my bad, wanted to say Nitromethane. Now I can see the problem, I was talking about MeNH2-HCl salt, which is easy to get, but we need freebase, which is a gas, so if we start from MeNH2-HCl, then we need to make it freebase and dissolve it in a solvent without turning our lab into a gas chamber. Do you have any reports or any advice on how to do this? Then this solution of MeNH2 freebase can be added to the amalgam and MDP2P. Or rather mix the MeNH2 solution with MDP2P and add this to the amalgam? Sorry, I am just guessing, I haven`t found a good description of this so far, and never even attempted to make MDMA, but now there is a chance I can get some PMK and looking for the best way to use it.

 

[G.Patton]

I've posted about Methylamine free base generating here.
I would like to continue this discussion in appropriate topic about MDMA synthesis (link below).

 

[G.Patton]

We also have such method description, look at this Complete MDMA synthesis from Sassafras oil with Al/Hg. Probably, you can find something valuble for you.