Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Tropinone

PearlyWhites - 4-2-2012 at 18:23

I've been considering buying tropinone for the purpose of a novel synthesis of a dye photosensitizer.

I've done my homework, tropinone does not appear to be listed as a watched List I, List II chemical; not listed as a scheduled substance; and not mentioned in the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act.

Even still, assuming I were to purchase this via a cooperative overseas supplier, how likely is it the Feds will still show up, break down my door, rape my wife, and kick me in the nuts?

497 - 4-2-2012 at 19:11

The chances of that are pretty good regardless of what you do...

GreenD - 6-2-2012 at 07:14

Judging by this past weekend at my house - the chances are very good this will happen, regardless of what you do in your spare time.

mr.crow - 6-2-2012 at 07:34

Why, what happened?

GreenD - 6-2-2012 at 07:49

Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
Why, what happened?


my room mate was the victim of police brutality.
kicked, kneed in the gut, and his eyes depressed by thumbs.

I wouldn't worry about buying tropinone. I would worry about trying to pick it up. Where is it getting shipped to?

entropy51 - 6-2-2012 at 09:04

Quote: Originally posted by GreenD  
my room mate was the victim of police brutality.
kicked, kneed in the gut, and his eyes depressed by thumbs.
What happened before that? Why were the police at your house? You've stated the punch line but not the story itself.

GreenD - 6-2-2012 at 09:14

its how i tell my jokes.

PearlyWhites - 6-2-2012 at 14:48

It would be shipped to a private mail box at a "mailbox store" under a business name associated with the box.

Also, GreenD, may I ask what was it your friend ordered that prompted the police?

mr.crow - 6-2-2012 at 17:54

Honestly I don't think anyone cares about tropinone, you should be ok

497 - 6-2-2012 at 20:51

Can you get ahold of any atropa belladonna or datura species? Extraction and hydrolysis can't be hard. Depends on how much tropinone you need...

GreenD - 7-2-2012 at 06:50

hmm. good idea.
atropine is one of those drugs, like salvia, that is better left alone for most people. So don't get any ideas.

I've heard some scary stories, not to mention it can cause blindness for over a week's period, permanent blindness, and death. The toxicity curve is so large that doubling the dose can be the difference between slight effects and death.

PearlyWhites - 15-2-2012 at 20:48

Quote: Originally posted by 497  
Can you get ahold of any atropa belladonna or datura species? Extraction and hydrolysis can't be hard. Depends on how much tropinone you need...


So I did some more digging, but the closest thing I could come up with is a means a German chemist, Willsatter, used to turn tropinone into atropine. Kind of the reverse of what I want. Any pointers?

S.C. Wack - 16-2-2012 at 17:31

You're looking at the wrong article.

He used chromic acid in GAA on tropine, getting 80%. But IIRC the alkaloid hydrolysis also gives tropic acid and you're going to need a lot of plant material, solvents, time, etc. to get any tropinone.

ziqquratu - 18-2-2012 at 01:39

The synthesis of tropinone is pretty much as simple as it gets... it basically involves stirring methylamine (easily prepared), acetone dicarboxylic acid (readily available, or easy enough to make from citric acid, I believe) and succindialdehyde (easily prepared in situ from 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran, which is also available) in a buffered solution (sodium acetate). See the attached reference for an example - compound 7, the prep appears on page 209.

The original synthesis by Robinson - often viewed as the first example of "biomimetic synthesis" - is an absolute classic, and whilst a few tweaks have been made, the modern process is essentially the same as his original work.

Attachment: Synthesis of tropinone.pdf (349kB)
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