Aminomercuration of safrole.

mk-1 · Sat May 21, 2005 7:18 pm

Long ago, it was discussed on the hive about the aminomercuration of safrole, and subsequent NaBH4 demercuration to yield 3,4-Methylenedioxy-alpha-methyl-phenethylmethylamine (MDMA). Rhodium hs a page about it in the archived archive, with the discussion.
Ive no experience with aminomercuration.
It would be interesting to perform aminomercuration of several aromatic allyls.
As I see it, from the safrole aminomercuration thread, it should go like this -

1mol of Mercury(II) acetate [Hg(AcO)2] dissolved in THF, and 4mol methylamine freebase (seems to be conflicting about aq solution, possible doable) is added.
After completion of aminomercury complex, this solution is added to 1mol of AllylBenzene in RT, and stirred for 72 hors, or until completion.
Subsequently 2M NaOH is added, followed by NaBH4 in NaOH solution (at this part, ive no data about mol quantities, but seems like a slight excess of NaBH4 will work), and allowed to reach completion.
It is then worked up by flteration of formed elemental mercury, extraction with ether, several washed with water, distillation, and viola, product!

I want to get some ideas/notes bout this, since all the refs on the hive disucssion are old and Ive no access to them. Also, there is a missing rhodium pdf, called amph.aminomerc.1979.pdf
It would be appreciated if some1 could post this pdf.

And, this is, if works nicely in good yields, a way to get other methylamphetamines, from precursors other then the obvious!
THANKS!

ApprenticeCook · DILLIGAF

i think this route was given up on for reasons of the expense of the excess NaBH4 required and the problems in clean up (mercury contamination) along with the low yields the method was shunned at the hive ala iodosafrole, both being made taboo subjects.
But i would be interested in reading the pdf info on it for curiosity sake, sorry i couldnt find it in my pdf collection.

-AC