• N&PD Moderators: Skorpio | thegreenhand

The "new" pseudoephedrine (Phenylephrine)

otb01

Bluelighter
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
472
It's funny that states are limiting pseudoephedrine sales because of the "meth epidemic" and replacing it with an ingredient which barely works in comparison. I know, that doesn't sound funny. What's funny is that with the correct chemistry work, phenylephrine can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of ADRENALINE (epinephrine). Wonderful work congress, now instead of a generation of meth-heads we're going to have a generation of pure adrenaline-heads.

Phenylephrine:
Phenylephrine.png


Epinephrine:
Adrenaline_chemical_structure.png


Potential, potential, potential.
 
adrenaline? to my knowledge, there's NO recreational potential in adrenaline
 
There's recreational value in bungee jumping, skydiving, car racing, cockfighting and everything else that raises the level of epinephrine release in your body so why wouldn't there be recreational value in IV'ing it to induce the same effect?
 
thats not just adrenaline, but a bunch of things happening at the same time in your brain.. yeah, adrenaline plays a role in that feeling when you leap off a building or speeding down a highway running from the cops.. buts adrenaline is not the sole chemical in that event.

adrenaline is also used to restart failing hearts in the hospital.. ever seen Pulp Fiction?
 
It's very polar (even more so than pseudoephedrine) and as such very little will ever actually get to your brain unless you shoot it into your spine (don't do this). Aside from that, it's subject to pretty rapid metabolism because it doesn't have any carbon on the alpha position -- meaning that even if you injected it into your spine, it'd only have a tiny half-life. I've personally found that phenylephrine does dick all as a decongestant, let alone central activity.

Essentially they replaced a compound which kind of worked as a decongestant with something that barely works at all.

http://news.ufl.edu/2006/07/19/decongensant/
 
A little methylation here, a reduction or two there, maybe there's some potential for the next meth... :p ehh seriously, phenylephrine seems useless to me.
 
Couldn't you just use some LAH and make meth out of it still?
 
No, you'd make n-methylphenethylamine which is useless too. Now, if you could make ethers from the alcoholic groups, you might be onto something active because beta-methoxy phenethylamines can be active, but, maybe not.
 
of course though phenylephrine is a theoretical 3' alkoxy or a 3'4' methylendioxy aminorex precursor,
is the pharma product racemic or is it enantiopure?
V
 
adrenaline inducing activities are fun because of what your doing, not just the chemical reactions. these activites naturally release dopamine and probly some serotonine aswell sitting around taking adrenaline is NOT fun, think about it. Doing nothing and generating butterflies in the stomach, heart racing and no HIGH to speak off. not fun
 
Ehhh.... Wait but wouldn't adrenaline + MAOI in blood stream cause an effect? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it MAO that causes the breakdown of adrenaline?
 
Adrenaline + Maoi = Hypertensive crisis and possibly death.

Adrenaline on its own - well just ask anyone you know who has a severe life threatening allergy to for example peanuts, lactose whatever. They are given an epi-pen (auto injection of adrenaline) and if they have ever used it they'll tell you how nasty it is.

Possibly as a precursor to some other phenylethylamine but adrenaline - no chance. It certainly wont be a drug that sells itself.

^ Also as has been mentioned so called "adrenaline" sports involve a lot more chemicals than just adrenaline. Primarily dopamine release but more importantly within the brain. Adrenaline in the blood stream is there just to provide the body with the ability of flight or fight responses - increase in metabolism, strength etc.

As for phenylephrines use as a decogestent - it has low bioavailability, doesn't work for a lot of people but is well suited for the psuedo-placebo effect most people get from cold & flu remedies. People feel rubbish, have a cold, go in to the pharmacy desperate for something to treat a cold even though nothing exists to treat viral infections. Seeing as people with a cold are desperate, not thinking clearly they quite happily hand over cash for a product that is basically fancy paracetamol (paracetamol/acetaminofen + phenylephrine served as tasty hot drink)
 
Last edited:
vecktor said:
of course though phenylephrine is a theoretical 3' alkoxy or a 3'4' methylendioxy aminorex precursor,
is the pharma product racemic or is it enantiopure?
V

3,4-MDO-AR sounds kind of nasty for cardiovascular consequence.
 
OH groups are not reduced by LAH, not that you could get meth from this compound even if they were.

Also you would have to have the primary amine to form an oxazoline. You can n-alkylate an oxazoline to the oxazolinium quaternary amine but to my knowledge you cannot cyclize a secondary amine directly to the oxazolinium.
 
well I think we all agree with the DEA and various governements phenylephrine is thoroughly useless, as a precursor, and perhaps as a decongenstant too. all this will do is cause the mexicans to make an even higher proportion of the meth consumed in the US, the mexicans will always have proper decongestants. this is not good for the US balance of payments situation!
 
retired_chemist said:
OH groups are not reduced by LAH, not that you could get meth from this compound even if they were.

Also you would have to have the primary amine to form an oxazoline. You can n-alkylate an oxazoline to the oxazolinium quaternary amine but to my knowledge you cannot cyclize a secondary amine directly to the oxazolinium.

I must be mistaken, I thought Poos et all used CNBr to make oxazoline rings, but now you say it, I cannot envision that working either :(
 
haribo1 said:
I must be mistaken, I thought Poos et all used CNBr to make oxazoline rings, but now you say it, I cannot envision that working either :(

I think CN-Br would react with secondary amines, I cannot remember if it is general reaction but cyanogen bromide has been used to dealkylate amines.
 
Top