MDMA impurities

[fastandbulbous]

Acetone or other 'almost non-polar' solvent, such as diethyl ether should remove most of the impurities such as PMK polymer, safrole/isosafrole etc without removing much of the MDMA hydrochloride; if you use ethanol/isopropanol you're going to dissolve a reasonable amount of MDMA HCl along with the impurities.

I'd have thought that green MDMA might be due to the presence of Cu++ ions (I think there's am isosafrole to PMK that uses a copper salt as either a catalyst or minor reagent), in which case an acetone wash is going to do fuck all. If it is due to copper ions, you really should either find a way of removing it or avoid the stuff as copper is a toxic heavy metal in all but trace amounts in the diet (it's not a pleasant toxicity syndrome either - should the manufacturers add a small cut of EDTA sodium if they're not going to remove it!)


PS How common is the direct amination of 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane as a synthetic route? Just I didn't see 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane listed as an impurity in slopoke's list

 

[phase_dancer]

(I think there's am isosafrole to PMK that uses a copper salt as either a catalyst or minor reagent),

The most likely synthesis I can think of would be CuSO4 employed with NaBH4 to reduce the nitroalkane to the amine, but yields are reported as being typically quite low.

PS How common is the direct amination of 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane as a synthetic route? Just I didn't see 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane listed as an impurity in slopoke's list

The Bromosafrole route and it's typical impurities have been mentioned in Forensic Literature. Perhaps because of typical side reactions that occur, the method isn't favoured so much by producers. From memory, two impurities - dimer [?] & a dibromo compound - were considered probable MAOIs (study from Sydney Uni done some years ago).

 

[fastandbulbous]

Perhaps because of typical side reactions that occur, the method isn't favoured so much by producers.

Ah the ubiquetous brown tar-like substance much feared by organic chemists! Didn't know about the dimer being a probable MAOI though (I assume an irreversible one due to alkylation by organobromine compound); not the sort of thing you want as an impurity in something like MDMA

 

[cynosure]

Acetone or other 'almost non-polar' solvent, such as diethyl ether should remove most of the impurities such as PMK polymer, safrole/isosafrole etc without removing much of the MDMA hydrochloride; if you use ethanol/isopropanol you're going to dissolve a reasonable amount of MDMA HCl along with the impurities.

I'd have thought that green MDMA might be due to the presence of Cu++ ions (I think there's am isosafrole to PMK that uses a copper salt as either a catalyst or minor reagent), in which case an acetone wash is going to do fuck all. If it is due to copper ions, you really should either find a way of removing it or avoid the stuff as copper is a toxic heavy metal in all but trace amounts in the diet (it's not a pleasant toxicity syndrome either - should the manufacturers add a small cut of EDTA sodium if they're not going to remove it!)


PS How common is the direct amination of 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane as a synthetic route? Just I didn't see 2-bromo-1(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane listed as an impurity in slopoke's list

You're best bet is recrystallization with acetonitrile. If you don't have that, then isopropanol/acetone (I don't know the best proportions) will also work. All of these solvents have to be anhydrous, and if you do it right, you won't lose any substantial amount of your molly. Look up the old hive posts if you can find them.