I bet a decent amount still makes it into the brain as 4-aco-dmt. at least with a different metabolic process this can change the nature of a trip just by changing length.
Something unpredicted does seem to be going on, at least from my experience. I imagine injecting can largely mitigate the variance of absorption into the bloodstream between 4-AcO and 4-ho when used orally (I think this absorption rate difference is the standard explanation for why so many report AcOs last significantly longer than their 4-ho counterparts). The strange thing is the duration difference is sometimes many hours longer for AcOs, yet the dose isn't
that much higher. IV 4-AcO-DMT hits almost instantly, suggesting it is rapidly converted to 4-ho-DMT in the blood (like, I think, heroin is supposed to be). The problem is the duration of 4-AcO-DMT is so much longer than 4-ho-DMT when injected, not just orally, so if it's rapidly converted in the blood why would that be?
I've never IVd either, but 9mg of intramuscular synthetic psilocin lasts around 1.5-2 hrs (mostly over by 1.5) for me with lingering residual stimulation, whereas 12 - 14 mg of 4-AcO-DMT IM provides similar peak intensity to 7-9 mg of 4-ho but lasts 3.5-5 hrs. The duration difference is pretty dramatic while the onset speed/first alerts difference is substantially less so. I've IMd both 4-ho and 4-AcO over ten times each (4-ho more like 20) and this duration disparity has persisted throughout. I don't doubt 4-AcO is converted to 4-ho in vivo eventually, but perhaps it takes longer than imagined for some reason and the AcO version is also independently active.
An interesting quote from nuke, circa 2010 (from here:
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=262902) (there's also this:
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/365088-4-AcO-DMT-vs-Psilocin)
nuke said:
Base catalyzed hydrolysis of an ester? Yes, it does.
It is now know that the phosphorylated counterpart of psilocin, psilocybin, has some tiny affinity for the 5HT2A/C receptors, though it isn't huge, so perhaps the 4-AcO compound does too.
Also, by tregar, 2012:
tregar said:
Important update: the dilute acid catalyzed hydrolysis of 4-aco-dmt to 4-ho-dmt (psilocin) works much better than naoh catalyzed hydrolysis as none of the psilocin is oxidized or destroyed, as psilocin is unstable in alkaline or basic conditions:
hxxp://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=15980735&page=0&vc=1#159 80735
It helps to look at the hydrolysis of aspirin to understand the hydrolysis of 4-aco-dmt to 4-ho-dmt, stomach acid will only convert a small percentage of it to 4-ho-dmt, just as stomach acid will only convert a small percentage of acetyl-salicylic acid (aspirin) to salicyclic acid, otherwise you would have gastric irritation/possible stomach bleeding when swallowing an aspirin. Heat (140 degree F) + time (20 to 30 minutes) + dilute hcl acid is needed to convert all of the 4-aco-dmt to 4-ho-dmt.
acetyl-salicylic acid = aspirin
salicyclic acid = parent molecule
[/old and complicated debate]
Regarding the stability: the psilocin grayed noticeably after a few years in amber glass while the AcO remained the same, though no potency decline was noted. I agree that the methods described for conversion in the OP are likely to end up resulting in black goo. However, if you did this conversion on a dose by dose basis -- drinking it down as soon as possible -- altering your technique each time, I'd think loss could be minimized (or at least you'd not lose much before figuring out it doesn't work as you hoped).
I've tried both synthetic 4-HO-DMT and 4-AcO-DMT, and, for what it's worth, I couldn't tell the difference. 4-AcO-DMT is more stable, so personally I'd leave it as the ester. But that's just me.
Did you try injecting both, or is this all orally?
.