Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Nicotine

=SkyNET= - 20-4-2006 at 11:17

Can anyone provide a synthesis of nicotine? Preferably not this one.

Beanspike - 20-4-2006 at 11:58

I looked around for awhile, I didn't really find a whole lot of anything for just the synthesis of it, but I did find a reference to extracting it from just the leaves.

http://pub169.ezboard.com/fhomegrowntobaccofrm2.showMessage?...

Extracting it would probably turn out to be a lot easier than trying to synth it.

Edit: the link is a little messed up. Just copy and paste it.

[Edited on 20-4-2006 by Beanspike]

turd - 21-4-2006 at 15:07

Quote:
Originally posted by =SkyNET=
Can anyone provide a synthesis of nicotine? Preferably not this one.

If you really want to make it as opposed to extract it, it won't get much simpler than that.

Of course, if the racemate is good enough, the synthetic steps creating the asymmetric centre can be replaced by their simple counterparts (reductive amination, resp. grignard with allylbromide, if that works).

If you just want to extract it from plant matter, it can be done with steam distillation and purification of the oxalic acid salt.

JohnWW - 21-4-2006 at 19:30

Does anyone know where Tobacco seeds can be obtained from? I would like to try nicotine as an organic insecticide.

=SkyNET= - 21-4-2006 at 21:29

Thats what I need it for too.

Id rather synthesise it because im looking for a relatively large amount.

unionised - 22-4-2006 at 05:13

I'm pretty sure that practically all the world's nicotine is extraced from tobacco so it must be cheaper to grow it than to synthesise it.
Nicotiana tabaccum and such are used as a garden plants so you can get them from seed catalogues like this.

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/6549/1

=SkyNET= - 11-5-2006 at 08:48

Actually, could it be made from n-methylhydroxyproline and pyridine with BINAP?

Thats a bit of a stretch I think. I suppose it would be better to grow it.

Twospoons - 11-5-2006 at 19:00

The danger with extraction for use as an insecticide is the presence of tobacco mozaic virus, which infects much of the world's tobacco. This virus will infect and kill your tomatoes, potatoes and other solanum family members.