Crystal Meth

Who am I, really ?
Our first day’s first organic molecule…

IUPAC name:
N-methylphenyl-2-propan-2-amine :
Common name: methamphetamine
Street name: crystal meth
MW 149.2 mp 170-175oC
A white to off white crystal
Stereochemistry note:
Meth has a Chiral center: D form active, L form inactive
=>50% of synthesized meth is inert !!
Solubility is high:
In water(1 gm: 2ml),
C3 In ethanol ( 1gm:3ml)
Medical note: in chloroform (1 gm:5ml)
The methyl group (C3) facilitates
the compound’s transport across => Easy to absorb and
the blood-brain barrier .
deliver to human body
Let’s cook !
Ways to Make Crystal Meth…using stuff you learned in O. Chem
Crystal
1) Grignard synthesis The Grignard
piece meth
2-phenylethanal Class of C=N- acts like C=O

compound ??? when reacting
with RMgX …
immine
Problem areas for manufacture ???
For mole $: can you

make MeMgI=CH3-MgI
Grignard route to crystal meth starting from methanol?
2-phenylethanal
H
O
Key Starting material for
Grignard route to Meth
Often, the starting material is controlled by the DEA to
prevent large scale synthesis of meth.
However, you can buy benzene and ethanol in unlimited
quantities legally and now know enough to make the key
starting material above.
H
2-phenylethanal from benzene and ethanol: method 1
O
8 0 % H 2S O 4 B r2 Br
he a t d ry C C l 4 Br
OH Br
A lC l 3
ne a t
Br OH- OH pcc
H
fre o n ne a t O
Not the only way to 2-phenylethanal…Grignard route (method 2) better
A lC l 3 ne a t The Grignard piece…

NBS Mg CO2
H3C
+ Cl ne a t/ lig ht d ry e the r d ry e the r
H O
C
O pcc C L iA lH 4 /e the r
C OH OH
H
neat the n H 2 O
H
2-Phenylethanal precursor
 ??
Many episodes were focused on stealing methyl

amine (MeNH2)
What if the Feds try to control NH2CH3 (methyl amine) ?

No problemo…just run: CH3Cl + NH3 CH3-NH2 + HCl
N aC l
H3C OH
H 2 S O 4 /re flu x CH3-Cl
Methanol Table salt and

not controlled battery acid
 ?? 
CH3Cl + NH3 CH3-NH2 + HCl
From CRC handbook 76th
boiling point of H2O=100 C boiling
point of NH3 =-33 C 70-90%
Any ideas ??? w/v NH3
1.89$/gallon
Walmart’s
(~5-10% w/v NH3)
Dry ice (-44 C)
Route 2 to Crystal Meth:
Biker’s Meth synthesis (Walter White’s synthetic route)
DVD season 1 episode 2
Stealing P2P
“Biker’s meth” two-step route
H3C Step 1
O H3C CH3
+ H2N CH3 N
H2O
P2P +
Step 2 Immine again….
H3C CH3 H2
N H3C CH3 Da stuff…
N
P t, P t o r P d H H Crystal
or
meth
H3C CH3
N aB H 4 N
H H
Breaking Bad uses Rh
A l/H g reduction (expensive)
The phenyl acetic acid scene…does it make sense in terms of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyK2Z6aTPSg
Walter White’s synthesis ?
Jesse Pinkman facing off The stuff in question:

with the cartel chemist. phenyl acetic acid
HO Phenyl acetic acid scene…does it
O phenyl acetic acid make sense in terms of Walter
Step 1 of White’s synthesis ?
H3C
Walter’s synthesis H3C CH3
O N
+ H2N CH3
+ H2O
Not on the face of it… need CH3 not OH at C2.

But you can make P2P from phenyl acetic acid
FYI… you `sophomores’ know enough to make phenyl acetic acid
Making P2P from phenyl acetic acid:
why the Mexican cartel lab wants phenyl acetic acid
O O
HO OH- H O
O O
+ O
+ O C O + OH
Phenyl high excess
acetic acid P2P
FYI…this is a messy reaction that can auto
condense to dibenzyl ketone….because of
OH- . Doc wouldn’t do it this way. (Details
on next two slides)
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=10919
https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/p2p.phenylacetic.html
Proposed Mechanism of conversion of
phenylacetic acid to P2P
OH- driven side reaction to
dibenzylketone
GC of Final Product Pot : phenyl-2-propanone from phenyl acetic acid
prior to work up https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/p2p.phenylacetic.html
Making phenyl acetic acid precursor: route 1
Mg Br
A lC l 3
+ H3C Cl
neat o r C l2 d ry e the r
Still…challenge
accepted: routes to CO2
phenyl acetic acid HO

C O
H+
d ry ether
H 2O
Phenyl acetic acid

phenyl acetic acid precursor: route 2
Cl Cl OH
A lC l 3 OH-
+ a c e to ne
Cl ne a t
Ag2O pcc
HO
O
C O
/NH3 H
ne a t
Tollen’s
Phenyl acetic reagent
acid Hint: use weakest oxidizer you know to convert >C=O to
COOH and avoid “vasectomy at `G spot.’
FYI…there are a lot of simpler routes
to get to phenyl-2-propanone (P2P)
than through phenyl acetic acid.
Bite me, señor

chemist cartel guy.
The real prize is `P2P’ (phenyl-2-propanone) which is high on
the DEA controlled substance list
H3C
O
A final mole buck opportunity :

Routes to P2P you can do with
what you know…
You’re going down, Fong…
+ Bonus round….do-able routes
to Ephedrine (If time…)
The classic `ephedrine’ route….why pharmacies
watch your purchases of Sudafed…
BEFORE VERSUS AFTER CRYSTAL METH USE
BEFORE VERSUS AFTER CRYSTAL METH USE (cont.)
Before crystal meth use After crystal meth use
Moral ?

Crystal Meth

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Who am I, really ?

Our first day’s first organic molecule…

2-phenylethanal Class of C=N- acts like C=O

For mole $: can you

A lC l 3 ne a t The Grignard piece…

Many episodes were focused on stealing methyl

Methanol Table salt and

Jesse Pinkman facing off The stuff in question:

Not on the face of it… need CH3 not OH at C2.

phenyl acetic acid HO

Phenyl acetic acid

Bite me, señor

A final mole buck opportunity :

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