• N&PD Moderators: Skorpio | someguyontheinternet

Different MDMA synthesis routes resulting in different s/r isomer ratios?

Polarimeters will give you an "enamtiomeric ratio" if you know how much pure substance you load into them. They work by measuring the rotation of a beam of polarized light.
 
The synthetic route from safrole only leads to racaemic MDMA, whereas that from piperonal produces racamic MDA that must then be methylated to MDMA, so a change from the first to the second synthetic route leaves the door open for MDA to be a contaminamt of MDMA (how much is dependant on the skill/sloppiness of the synthetic chemist). This would alter the subjective feel of taking it.

Chiral synthesis requires starting with a chiral compound (which none of the clandestine synths do) or separating the isomers at the end of the synthesis. Separating them by fractional recrystallizatiob is a tediously slow process and generally requires the formation of salts of d-tartaric acid; the recrystallization is very unlikely to be carried out as once made, the product is shipped out as fast as possible. Also it would require the conversion of the tartaric acid salt to a hydrochloride, which introduces more opportunity for losing some of the product. So if it was done by fractional recrystallization, you'd expect the stuff found on the street to be the tartrate salt

So basically: Is it a different mix of isomers> Well that would be so rare that I think you can confidentially say No
 
Polarimeters will give you an "enamtiomeric ratio" if you know how much pure substance you load into them. They work by measuring the rotation of a beam of polarized light.

If you're skilled at making mechanical devices, one can be constructed using two polerized lenses from sunglasses and a protractor (yes the sort used in school!). It wont be as accurate as a bought one, but works perfectly well for distinguishing racemic solutions from those of a chiral salt
 
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