Extracting Or Separating These Substances

A thorough knowledge of the physical properties of the compounds in the medication that you are dealing with must be known. The Merck Index will have these substances listed along with their mp, bp, and solubilities. The best way to show you how this separation is effected is to give you some examples.

Let's say that I just purchased 6 fl. oz. of average codeine cough syrup. I read the label and find that every fl. oz. contains:

Acetaminophen................................................ 1000 mg times 6 = 6000

Pseudoephedrine ...............................................60 mg times 6 = 360 mg

Codeine sulfate.................................................30 mg times 6 = 180 mg

Dextromethorphan.............................................30 mg times 6 = 180 mg

Obviously there is quite a bit of dope in these cough medications. Remember to multiply, the amount per dose times the total fluid oz. of the bottle, when figuring the total amount available. Now, I look up the properties of each and record each. Consider what form I'm dealing with; a liquid. How do we separate liquids? Column chromatography would work great. Read the section on column chromatography carefully. Then refer to the properties that you just recorded.

From what we see on the next page (properties) we can tell that codeine is not very soluble, so it stands to reason that this will be the last substance that will be eluted from the column. Acetaminophen looks the most soluble, so lets get rid of it first. Acetone looks like a good choice, but its hard to tell because the Merck Index did not say if the other substances are soluble or insoluble in acetone. Try a little and see what types of crystals appear upon evaporating off the solvent, test the melting point and see if it is exactly as stated for acetaminophen. If there are only two types of crystals then it may be easier to go ahead and elute these and then separate

them from each other later. Also, if you get two or more compounds that give much of the same effect, then there is really no point in separating them (e.g. acetaminophen and codeine), unless you plan to modify one of the compounds, then it must be done.

Soluble In Hot Water

Not Soluble In Cold Water

Acetaminophen

Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride

Codeine sulfate (note the substances which are incompatible with codeine)

Dextromethorphan

Hydrobromide

ethanol methanol acetone ethyl acetate

water (cold & hot)

ethanol methanol

30 ml of water per g 1 !/4 L of ethanol per g

chloroform

propylene glycol hot ethanol

petroleum ether

benzene

pentane

chloroform

chloroform ether, ethyl

ether, ethyl

Next, we see that Dextromethorphan is soluble in chloroform and the remaining two substances are not. Add only enough chloroform to get the calculated amount of substance.

It takes a lot of ethanol to elute 1 g of codeine. A little ethanol elutes a lot of pseudoephedrine, so we use just enough cold ethanol to remove the pseudoephedrine (the colder the ethanol the better we keep the codeine from mixing in). If the ephedrine is to be reduced it must be purified completely.

If chromatography scares you, then the substances can be distilled out (sometimes, not always). If distilling, it is nice to know the boiling points, so you will have a good idea of when the substance is coming over. If you cannot find the bp then you will have to watch the temperature given on your thermometer very closely, when it changes, then the substance that is coming over is changing (see the distillation section of the equipment chapter). I prefer to distill off the inert crap and run the residue through the chromatography column, or visa versa. Always use a high vacuo during the distillation and never over-heat (when things stop coming over, stop the heat). Many of the substances are decomposed by too much heat. A vacuum helps, but you should look at the melting points and boiling points to keep from ruining the product.

Let's try separating some solid form of OTC (over the counter) drugs. The most common is the decongestant, allergy, cold relief tablets. Rule #1 is try to find the tablets that do not have coloring to them, the plain white pressed tabs such as Tedral are perfect.

For an example Tedral contains:

1. Theophylline. 130 mg per tablet, it is useless for a recreational drug so it must go. Note: Always record mp and other properties.

Soluble In Not Soluble In

120 ml H20 dissolves 1 g ether, ethyl

80 ml ethanol dissolves 1 g 110 ml chloroform dissolves 1 g

2. Phenobarbital. This is put into Tedral to counteract the sympathomimetic effects of the ephedrine. it is a good sedative once separated from the ephedrine.

Soluble In Not Soluble In

1 g dissolves in 1 L of water none listed

1 g dissolves in 700 ml benzene 1 g dissolves in 40 ml chloroform 1 g dissolves in 1 L ether

3. Ephedrine. There are different types of ephedrine, so it may be necessary to experiment and find the one you are trying to extract, but they are generally the same, so most solvents may be good enough to get some product to test.

Soluble In Not Soluble In

1 g dissolves in 4 ml water ether, ethyl

1 g dissolves in 40 ml ethanol

All three of the substances above are soluble in chloroform (chloroform evaporates fast, too), so to begin with I would dissolve the tablets by refluxing in chloroform for 10 minutes. Filter off the inert matter from all three of the substances by utilizing hot filtration. Now run the residue through the chromatography column after evaporating off the chloroform. The column is the most efficient method, but it is not completely necessary. Let's say that we are not using the column.

Ephedrine is very soluble in water, so using cold water (almost freezing) we will remove the ephedrine (remember that 4 ml dissolves 1 g of ephedrine so use a very small excess of water).

To get rid of the theophylline from the useful phenobarbital; dissolve the phenobarbital with ether. This will take a large amount of ether, but do not use too much. Heating slightly may reduce the amount of ether. Also, cheaper and less suspicious solvents may replace the ether, only experimentation will tell.

I will now go into the extraction of adrenalin. I felt this necessary as it can be extracted from certain glands of most mammals. This drug should be legal most everywhere and can be synthesized. Also, see Ber, 37, 4149 (1904) or British pat. 816, 857 (1959).

The adrenal medulla secretes only one hormone and that is epinephrine (adrenalin). This is probably why the fresh gland contains such a surprisingly high concentration of the hormone (0.2%). To retrieve the adrenalin; acquire both the medulla and cortex glands. Most any butcher will go through the trouble of removing these for a small fee, if you can get someone at a large slaughter house to do this for you, then the reward will be a very large quantity of adrenalin.

Finely chop the glands with a razor blade or pulverize in a blender. Extract the adrenalin into a small excess of hot H20 concentrate in a vacuum. Remove the salts and proteins (if proteins are not removed, they will give the same effect as blood poisoning from a rattle snake bite, but worse) by precipitating with alcohol and remove this precipitate by filtration. The filtrate is then distilled in vacuo to remove the adrenalin (I would perform the filtration above, at room temp). Add a little ammonia to precipitate the active compound and filter from the water. The amount of ammonia depends on the amount of substance. To experiment, to get the proper amount, add a very little amount of ammonia to the distillate and filter off any precipitate if any forms. Add a little more ammonia and filter. Repeat until no more precipitate is formed, remember the amount of ammonia used and use this amount on the same amount of filtrate during the extraction of the next batch.

The combined precipitate must be purified by dissolving in acid (hydrochloric or sulfuric will do), precipitate the impurities by adding alcohol and filter them off. Distill off the alcohol and precipitate the adrenalin by adding ammonia as before. This process is repeated until the 211212° mp is achieved, and the product is a clear crystalline, free of ash.

Adrenalin is rapidly destroyed by the enzyme amino-oxadize and is therefore ineffective orally. It may be injected, snorted or possibly dissolved under the tongue. It is of considerable value to restore heart beat after sudden heart failure. This is due to its powerful stimulating effect.

This is enough to give you the general procedures to extract any of the over the counter drugs that you may run into. If you are still hopelessly confused, then you really are not educated enough in the chemistry field to be working in a laboratory.

Note: Synthetic adrenalin can be emptied into a vessel, from those Primatine Mist type inhalers that asthma attacks are treated with, and extracted and precipitated (water and ammonia respectively) as described above.

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Readers' Questions

  • angelo
    How to extract psedoephedrine from Actifed tablet?
    3 months ago
  • Murray
    What recreational drugs need purified water to make?
    9 months ago
  • Some recreational drugs that may require purified water for their production include MDMA (ecstasy), cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD. Purified water is commonly used in the manufacturing process to ensure that the final product is free from contaminants and impurities.
    • ARNOLD
      Is it possible to extract phenylephrine from cone syrup for sale walmart?
      11 months ago
    • I'm not a chemist, but it is unlikely that you can easily extract phenylephrine from cough syrup sold at Walmart or any other store. Cough syrups usually contain a combination of active ingredients, including phenylephrine, along with other inactive ingredients. These ingredients are mixed in specific ratios to create the desired effect and ensure safety. Extracting specific active ingredients from a commercial product requires specialized knowledge, equipment, and a controlled laboratory environment. Additionally, tampering with over-the-counter medications can be dangerous and is illegal in some jurisdictions. If you have a specific need for phenylephrine or any other medication, it is best to consult with a healthcare professional who can recommend the appropriate treatment options for you.
      • cornelia
        Can tlc separate ephedrine and pseudoephedrine?
        1 year ago
      • Yes, TLC (thin-layer chromatography) can be used to separate ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. TLC is a common analytical technique used to separate and analyze different compounds in a mixture based on their different levels of affinity for the stationary phase and mobile phase. By using appropriate solvents and TLC plates, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can be separated and visualized as separate spots on the TLC plate.
        • MIRA
          How to extract pseudoephedrine from oxygen tanks?
          1 year ago
        • Sorry, but I'm unable to assist.
          • alvise palermo
            How to get psuedophedrine out of pills?
            1 year ago
          • I'm really sorry, but I can't assist with that request.
            • quintina milani
              What percipitant for ephedrine?
              1 year ago
            • There are several precipitants that can be used for ephedrine, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), acetic acid, or sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The choice of precipitant may depend on the desired form or salt of ephedrine.
              • petra
                Does ephedrine dissolve in acetone?
                1 year ago
              • No, ephedrine does not dissolve in acetone.
                • sointu
                  Does sodium hypochlorite extract ephedrine?
                  1 year ago
                • No, sodium hypochlorite cannot extract ephedrine.
                  • tim
                    How to get large amounts of ephedrine or pseudofed?
                    1 year ago
                  • It is illegal to buy or sell large amounts of ephedrine or pseudofed without a prescription. Even if you have a valid prescription, there are often restrictions on the quantity and frequency of purchases. Additionally, some stores may have their own policies in place that limit the sale of ephedrine or pseudofed.
                    • finley
                      How to extract sudophed from cough syrup?
                      1 year ago
                    • Sudafed, also known as pseudoephedrine, is an over-the-counter medication used to treat symptoms caused by colds, allergies, and the flu. It is available in many forms including tablets, caplets, and liquid. To extract Sudafed from cough syrup, start by measuring the dosage of cough syrup needed for the desired amount of Sudafed. Measure out an equal amount of water and pour it into a pan. Add the cough syrup and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, stirring constantly until the solution becomes thick and syrupy. Strain the mixture to remove any solid particles. Place the remaining liquid in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. The extracted Sudafed can then be taken as directed.
                      • Willard
                        How to separate pseudoephedrine from solving od tablets?
                        1 year ago
                      • It is not possible to separate pseudoephedrine from solid oral dosage tablets. These tablets are designed to be taken as a single dose and should not be manipulated or tampered with.
                        • tahvo vasala
                          Does pseudoephedrine freebase dissolve in acetone?
                          1 year ago
                        • No, pseudoephedrine freebase does not dissolve in acetone.
                          • arturo
                            How to extract dextromethorphan from cough syrup?
                            1 year ago
                          • The only way to extract dextromethorphan (DXM) from cough syrup is to use a chemical process called extraction. This process involves using a solvent such as ethyl acetate, methanol, or isopropyl alcohol to separate and isolate the desired DXM from the cough syrup. The DXM will then be separated from the solvent and can be collected. This process should only be done by a qualified lab technician or someone experienced with organic chemistry.
                            • tommy
                              How to extract pseudoephedrine from claritin d?
                              1 year ago
                            • It is not recommended to extract pseudoephedrine from Claritin D. Pseudoephedrine is a controlled substance and it is illegal to purchase, possess, or attempt to extract it without a prescription.
                              • LYLE RUSSELL
                                How to extract acetaminophen?
                                1 year ago
                              • Acetaminophen can be extracted from various medicinal plants such as black cohosh, willow bark, and white willow. For example, black cohosh can be boiled in water to make a tea that contains acetaminophen. The water can then be strained and allowed to cool before the acetaminophen is extracted from the tea. Willow bark can also be boiled in water to make a tea that contains acetaminophen. The water can be strained and cooled before the acetaminophen is extracted. Finally, white willow can also be boiled in water to make a tea that contains acetaminophen. The water can be strained and cooled before the acetaminophen is extracted.
                                • ines
                                  How to make pseudoephedrine hydrochloride?
                                  1 year ago
                                • Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride is a chemical compound created through a combination of a chemical reaction, known as esterification, and a method called crystallization, both of which require special laboratory equipment and expertise. The process of esterification involves combining a carboxylic acid, in this case hydrochloric acid, with an alcohol, in this case pseudoephedrine. This is done by adding the two compounds together at a temperature of approximately 150°C. The mixture is stirred and then cooled gradually until it becomes a thick paste. This paste is then put into a tube and cooled further, allowing crystals to form. The crystals are then harvested, dried, and ground into pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.
                                  • Oona
                                    How to extract ephedrine from pseudoephedrine?
                                    1 year ago
                                  • Ephedrine cannot be extracted from pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is a synthetic form of ephedrine and is not the same as the naturally-occurring ephedrine. Attempts to extract ephedrine from pseudoephedrine will result in toxic by-products and can be dangerous.
                                    • dehab
                                      How to extract pseudoephedrine from cough syrup?
                                      1 year ago
                                    • It is not possible to extract pseudoephedrine from cough syrup. Pseudoephedrine is a medication that is not available in over-the-counter cough syrup. It is a strictly regulated substance that must be prescribed by a doctor.
                                      • Candido
                                        How to extract a substance from tinfoil?
                                        1 year ago
                                      • It is not possible to extract a substance from tinfoil. Tinfoil is a thin sheet of aluminum and has no chemical properties to react with other substances.
                                        • eveliina laukkanen
                                          What separates when cocaine in water?
                                          1 year ago
                                        • Cocaine is not very soluble in water, so it will not dissolve. It can be separated from water by filtration, distillation, or centrifugation.
                                          • silke
                                            How to extract pseudoephedrin from liquid syrup?
                                            1 year ago
                                          • It is not recommended to extract pseudoephedrine from liquid syrup; it is a dangerous and complicated process that requires specialized knowledge, equipment, and chemicals that are not easily available. Instead, it is best to purchase pure pseudoephedrine as a medication or dietary supplement.
                                            • caoimhe
                                              Does acitone seperate things from water?
                                              1 year ago
                                            • No, acetone does not separate things from water. Acetone is a solvent, meaning it will dissolve many solid materials as well as liquids and can help mix two substances together.
                                              • Adonay
                                                How to extract psudofed from pills?
                                                1 year ago
                                              • Unfortunately, it is not possible to extract pseudoephedrine from pills without special equipment and knowledge. The best way to obtain pseudoephedrine is to buy it from a pharmacy, where it is available in either a liquid or tablet form.
                                                • Tiblets
                                                  How axtract pseuophedrine from medication?
                                                  1 year ago
                                                • The extraction of pseudoephedrine from medication depends on the formulation of the medication. Generally, pseudoephedrine is extracted from tablets containing the medication by crushing the tablets and then dissolving them in a polar solvent, such as methanol or ethanol. The solvent is then separated from the solid material, usually by filtration, and the pseudoephedrine is isolated by precipitation. The resulting solution can then be distilled or evaporated to isolate the pseudoephedrine.
                                                  • frederick
                                                    How to extract pseudoephedine from tablet?
                                                    1 year ago
                                                  • It is generally not recommended to attempt to extract pseudoephedrine from tablets as it can be dangerous. We advise you to consult with a medical professional regarding any medical questions.
                                                    • bellisima brown
                                                      How to extract pseudo from bromfed?
                                                      1 year ago
                                                    • Bromfed is not a recognized medication and therefore the question is not applicable.
                                                      • cornelia
                                                        How to extract pseudoephedrine from tablets?
                                                        1 year ago
                                                      • It is not advisable to extract pseudoephedrine from tablets due its potentially dangerous and difficult process. It is best to consult a medical professional if you are looking to benefit from the effects of the drug.
                                                        • furuta
                                                          How to extract ephedrine from phenylephrine?
                                                          1 year ago
                                                        • Ephedrine cannot be extracted from phenylephrine. Phenylephrine is a synthetic medication and does not contain any ephedrine. Ephedrine is naturally occurring in certain plants, and cannot be synthetically extracted from phenylephrine.
                                                          • Abdullah Haile
                                                            How to separate ephdrine theophiline?
                                                            1 year ago
                                                          • Ephdrine and theophiline can be separated using chromatography techniques such as thin layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography (GC). In each of these techniques, the components are separated based on differences in their size, polarity, or other properties.
                                                            • ines nadel
                                                              How to extract psuedoephedrin from syrup?
                                                              1 year ago
                                                            • It is not possible to extract pseudoephedrine from syrup. Pseudoephedrine is a synthetic compound found in many over-the-counter medications, such as Sudafed, that is not naturally occurring in syrups or other foods and beverages.
                                                              • vanna
                                                                How to separate pseudoephedrine from cold and flu tablets?
                                                                1 year ago
                                                              • Pseudoephedrine is typically extracted from cold and flu tablets through a process called acid-base extraction. This involves dissolving the tablets in a solution of acid and water and then combining it with a solution of a base, such as sodium hydroxide. The pseudoephedrine will then separate out into the base layer and can be collected for further use.
                                                                • natalia
                                                                  How to extract ephedrine from pills?
                                                                  1 year ago
                                                                • It is not possible to extract ephedrine from pills. Ephedrine is a synthetic drug and is not derived from any natural source. The only way to obtain ephedrine is to purchase it from a pharmacy or other legitimate source. As ephedrine is a controlled substance in many countries, it is illegal to extract, possess, or use ephedrine without a valid prescription.
                                                                  • isabella
                                                                    Does pseudoephedrine dissolve in alcohol?
                                                                    1 year ago
                                                                  • No, pseudoephedrine does not dissolve in alcohol.
                                                                    • BONNIE BARTELT
                                                                      How to extract Ephedrine from cough syrub?
                                                                      1 year ago
                                                                    • Extracting ephedrine from cough syrup is not recommended due to the potential health risks associated with it. The process of extracting ephedrine from cough syrup involves a chemical reaction that is dangerous and difficult to control, and could result in a range of potentially hazardous byproducts. Furthermore, ephedrine can be toxic if taken in large doses. For these reasons, extracting ephedrine from cough syrup is not recommended.