GhostAliensFromMars
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Sassafras oil long term storage
I have acquired approx. 5 ml of sassafras oil via steam distillation of sassafras roots. I am storing the oil in a 25ml amber glass bottle with an
airtight plastic cap for almost a month, shown in the picture. The layer on top is water
Does anyone know if water can react and decompose safrole after a while? Should I continue storing it like this or dry it? What would be the best and
easiest way to store sassafras oil to prevent safrole decomp? I am not going to need to use this for the next year perhaps.
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Precipitates
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It will probably be okay, as strongly acidic or basic conditions are required for its hydrolysis, but if you would like to dry it:
"The oil is dried by mixing it with a small amount of anhydrous calcium chloride. After filtering-off the calcium chloride, the oil is vacuum
distilled at 100 °C under a vacuum of 11 mmHg (1.5 kPa) or frozen to crystallize the safrole out. This technique works with other oils in which
safrole is present as well."
Safrole wiki page
It can then be stored as a solid in the freezer.
Although such precautions against decomposition are probably not necessary.
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Mateo_swe
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For anyone not living in north america where the sassafrass tree grows there is another viable plant source.
Piper auritum also called Hoja Santa
https://www.kraeuter-und-duftpflanzen.de/pflanzen-saatgut/pa...
This is a climbing vine like plant with very large leaves that reeks of sassafrass smell, especially when they drop from the plant and start dry up.
Its also not a endangered plant (like the sassafrass tree) and grows like a weed in some warmer places like southern mexico from where it originates.
The large leaves has also been used in cooking and as a editable "dinner plate" where food is placed.
The leaves can be steam distilled and over 90% of the oil is safrole.
But you need quite a lot of leaves if you want a decent amount of safrole.
I have tried it and it works but as i said it takes quite a bit of leaves.
The plant grows very good inside as a house plant if you dont mind having a jungle inside.
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GhostAliensFromMars
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If I wanted to make safrole in larger quantities (not for MDMA of course), would it be easier and more cost effective just to synthesize it from
eugenol ?
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Mateo_swe
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Yes.
Extracting it from any natural source is way more work and hassle than a syntetical route.
Maybee if you had a big rootsystem from a whole sassafrass tree and have access to big steamdistillers it could be a viable route.
You could start from Eugenol, Vanillin, catechol or helional, there are plenty of options.
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GhostAliensFromMars
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What would be the easiest method if I were to start from eugenol?
Thanks
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Mateo_swe
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I would try the route in the attached paper and then methylenate the product to form the methylenedioxy ring and you will have your safrole.
But i havent tried it myself so i dont know how well it will do i real life/amateur lab.
The second methylenation step have been done by some members in this forum but on a slightly different substrate.
Se this for example
https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=28...
Just rename file to xxx.pdf, it wont show the correct name on the pdf file.
Attachment: phpYS9GMb (430kB)
This file has been downloaded 27 times
[Edited on 2024-11-18 by Mateo_swe]
[Edited on 2024-11-18 by Mateo_swe]
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GhostAliensFromMars
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Thanks for the resources, correct me if im wrong but is this process: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-BAXOgC0YU) the same as the one in the file?
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