Alternative to a Rotovap?

[Emmeka]

I have a feeling this has probably been asked before, but I'm not finding it searching through the forums. Oh well. Hi Bluelight! I'm new to producing drugs. Sampled quite a variety, but never made any. I'm looking into a career in pharmacology, but as of right now I have no education in chemistry outside of my senior year of high school.

Not too long ago I finally got my hands on a copy of PiKHAL. At first it was overwhelming (Shulgin certainly oriented this book towards people with an academic background in chemistry) but I've taken to "translating" his instructions piece by piece and teaching myself about what various terms / concepts mean and what various tools I would need. One piece of equipment I just don't have the means to get is a rotary evaporator.

Virtually every entry in that book requires removing a solvent under vacuum at some point. But these things cost a pretty penny - and I certainly don't have $6000 lying around. I'm just wondering, is there any alternative to using a rotovap? Where Shulgin calls for removing a solvent under vacuum - is that actually necessary, or does it just expedite the process / improve yield / make is easier?

 

[MikeRWK]

Synth discussion is not allowed on bluelight, the forum is about harm reduction and not teaching you how to make drugs.

 

[sekio]

Where Shulgin calls for removing a solvent under vacuum - is that actually necessary,

yes otherwise he would not have wrote that

buy one used
if you cannot afford that your other alternative is a full vaccum distillation setup

don't forget a vaccum source (pump/aspirator)

please do not attempt the syntheses in pihkal without a full lab and preferably someone who is actually educated in chemistry to teach you the techniques, especially if your chemistr knowledge stops in high school.

at worst you can get seriously hurt if you don't know what you're doing, at best you will reduce your yields and screw up many times along the way.

 

[Transform]

Generally a vacuum is required because it reduces the time and temperature that compounds spend (vulnerable) in solution by hours. I expect you can build a crude one yourself but they are useful kits so if you're as serious as you sound you should get one second-hand.

Unfortunately this thread crosses rather into the realm of synthesis discussion, which we don't permit here. Best of luck