Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Haha! US DOJ likes organic chemistry too!

Arrhenius - 22-5-2009 at 23:51

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/programs/forensicsci/microgram/journal2004/page4.html

Haha, I didn't know that the US DOJ publishes syntheses.

"We are currently unaware of any examples of anise oil or anethole being used to produce designer phenethylamines, but still feel it is necessary to point this possibility, since it might become a preferred precursor in the future as chemical substance controls are gradually increased."

Interesting note: They claim to publish NMR spectra, but clearly the figures at the end are mass spectra. *high five*


[Edited on 23-5-2009 by Arrhenius]

bfesser - 23-5-2009 at 05:58

They did publish the NMR data, just not graphically.

[Edited on 5/23/09 by bfesser]

pantone159 - 23-5-2009 at 06:25

Quote: Originally posted by Arrhenius  
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/programs/forensicsci/microgram/journal2004/page4.html
Interesting note: They claim to publish NMR spectra, but clearly the figures at the end are mass spectra. *high five*

The paper clearly does say that the figures are mass spectra, and describes the MS procedure. Interesting read though.

Sauron - 23-5-2009 at 10:30

Will they ban anise, fennel and star anise? Pernod pastis, Greek ouzo, Turkish arak. Italian anisette etc? This is ridiculous.

chemrox - 23-5-2009 at 11:02

It's been ridiculous. The most alarming statement was, "as chemical substance controls are gradually increased..." The US and Canada have become police states.

Magpie - 23-5-2009 at 11:33

It seems the DEA looks at all chemicals through the prism of whether they can be used as precursors for drugs. And of course just about any common chemical, including water and salt, can be viewed as such. But they will leave these off their lists because of their economic importance and widespread legitimate uses. Excerpting from the above link to the DEA:

"Due to this economic significance, it is unlikely that anise oil or anethole will become monitored or scheduled substances, despite their use in the illicit production of PMA and PMMA..."

In their hearts they would probably like to put every "chemical" on their lists.

Arrhenius - 23-5-2009 at 14:59

Well, as long as our society is obsessed with safety, the DEA and other such control mechanisms will remain in place. There's insurance for insurance these days, and that's the sort of mental safety net people want. We all know the DEA doesn't really do much, but people feel safe because they're there. This nation has never been built on facts, and it will remain that way. Perceived danger or scourge is what needs to be taken care of, not the REAL dangers. But how do we get past that? How do we stop worrying, stop ignorance, and spur intellectual thought? (alternatively, where can I go that's better than here :P )

Frankly, I'd never seen the synthetic scheme given in that publication in Microgram. So thanks DOJ. Well detailed procedures too.

**And yes, they do include NMR. That's what I get for skimming articles boozed late at night.

[Edited on 23-5-2009 by Arrhenius]

Sauron - 23-5-2009 at 19:23

Magpie, a couple of tox lab guys in Belgium reported that anethole was "occasionally" used as precursor and elaborated a few possible routes. Well, anethole according to DEA has never been known to be used in this fashion.

Furthermore AFAIK PMA and PMMA are not exactly major abuse drugs. Since anethole is not the precursor of choice and the described routes are neither unique nor optimum, this is much ado about nothing, a foor note to a footnote.

Particularly since DEA/DOJ admit that anise oil and anethole because of their economic significance are unlikely to even be monitored, much less listed or scheduled.

In short this is not a sassafras situation, anethole is not safrole.

Gnashing of teeth and rending of garments is not required.

Magpie - 23-5-2009 at 19:38

Quote:

Gnashing of teeth and rending of garments is not required.


I agree and I did not mean to come across that harshly. To me it's just a funny, typical gubbimnt boondoggle. It's also disgraceful as such mucking around is a waste of the US taxpayers money.

setback - 23-5-2009 at 20:21

PMA is poison, I sure hope the DEA doesn't waste taxpayer money on this.

Sedit - 23-5-2009 at 21:41

No it's not.

People ingesting one substance thinking its another is poison. Hence the deaths associated with it from those thinking they where taking methylenedioxy methyl-amphetamine.... Read up and you will learn what PMA or PMMA is about.

Either way this don't mean a damn. If you read rhodiums archives you will see that 90% of it came from text such as these. They will not ban something of economical value until it is abused by the senceless masses. The mass of drug makers see something such as this as to much work so its protected against this sort of thing.

Mind you this text dont speak of PMA but of the analogues such as 2C-x that can be made from it.

Vogelzang - 21-6-2009 at 05:02

Law enforcement will teach you how to make drugs, sell or give you the chemicals for free and even have their agents there to help you make the drugs as long as they can arrest you. They will even buy the drugs from you, too. They're not interested in eliminating crime. If that happened they wouldn't have a job any more.



[Edited on 21-6-2009 by Vogelzang]

JohnWW - 21-6-2009 at 16:13

Quote: Originally posted by Vogelzang  
Law enforcement will teach you how to make drugs, sell or give you the chemicals for free and even have their agents there to help you make the drugs as long as they can arrest you. They will even buy the drugs from you, too. They're not interested in eliminating crime. If that happened they wouldn't have a job any more.
That is entrapment, if it can be shown that the idea for committing the alleged drug crimes came from the Pigs themselves, and that without their urging, aiding, and abetting the alleged offenses would not have been committed.

Vegemeister - 4-7-2009 at 03:55

One might consider starting a small business based on this synthesis. Keep copies of this article around so that the source of your information is clearly evident. If anything goes wrong, claim entrapment.

[Edited on 7-4-2009 by Vegemeister]