Journal Published Online: 01 January 2005
Volume 50, Issue 1

Structural Determination of the Principal Byproduct of the Lithium-Ammonia Reduction Method of Methamphetamine Manufacture

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

One common method- of illicit methamphetamine manufacture utilizes an alkali metal, typically lithium, and liquid ammonia to chemically reduce ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to form methamphetamine. This method is often referred to as the lithium-ammonia reduction method or the Birch reduction method. While the hydroxyl group of ephedrine is more reactive than the aromatic ring, excess alkali metal and the presence of a proton source allow the formation of a cyclohexadiene byproduct not found in samples of methamphetamine produced from other manufacturing methods. A sample enriched in this byproduct was generated and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), infrared (IR) spectrophotometry, and ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry. The chemical structure of this byproduct was determined to be 1-(1ʹ,4ʹ-cyclohexadienyl)-2-methylaminopropane (CMP).

Author Information

Person, EC
Washington State Patrol, Marysville Crime Laboratory, Marysville, Washington
Meyer, JA
Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
Vyvyan, JR
Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
Pages: 9
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: JFS2004204
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2004204