ok so ive synthesized khat quite a few times using KMnO4 and gotten it down to where i know almost the perfect amount of it to use but recently a lack of permanganate has caused me to consider using K2Cr2O7 instead. according to the document which provided me with my permanganate synthesis potassium dichromate doesn't work. but i think the douchebag just didn't use sulfuric acid. anybody know whether dichromate works and if so what are the ratios of dichromate : psuedo-ephedrine to use for best results?
You do know that hexavalent chromium is a potent carcinogen, right? Not something to be screwing around with when there are safer oxidizers that work just as well or better. BTW, "khat" is a PLANT. The drug made by oxidizing ephedrine is called "Cat", or more properly, methcathinone.
ok so that settles that. probably should have checked on the health rating on that first. yeah i know that khat is a plant but it is also a slang term for the drug(at least here in KS). sorry i put this in the wrong spot won't happen again. thanks for the info. by the way, do you know of any oxidizers besides KMnO4 i could use? i can buy most things but permanganate is on the DEA's list of watched chems now i believe. i was stealing it from school but i got caught and have been effectively banned from lab(actually i got caught stealing hydrobromic acid but either way it doesn't matter, i'm banned).
thanks i'll look up some more info on that and post back what i find. i did find this synthesis using sodium hypochlorite(bleach) and i think i'll try it. the link to it is here http://chemlabs1.tripod.com/chemistry/methcathinone.txt
