Quote
This reaction utilizes safrole to directly form the formamide (or acetamide) of MDA which is then hydrolyzed to MDA. The following procedures are adapted from procedures used to produce amphetamine from allylbenzene and other amines from their corresponding tertiary alcohol or alkene.
A fume hood is required for this procedure due to use of cyanide which can easily be released from acidic solutions as a gas. A mixture of 25ml acetic acid, 34.2g safrole (0.2 moles, 29.5 ml), and 11g (0.2 moles) of 90% sodium cyanide is placed in the flask of the apparatus shown in the picture.
To the separatory funnel is added a mixture of 50g (27.2 ml) of concentrated sulfuric acid and 25 ml of acetic acid. This is dripped into the flask over 30 minutes. Shake the reaction mixture occasionally or stir the solution with a magnetic stirring bar. Remove the separatory funnel and still head and allow the mixture to sit overnight. Add a solution of 120g of NaOH in 250 ml water to the mixture. The mixture will heat up and neutralize the acid. A few boiling chips are added and a condenser is fitted into the top of the flask for refluxing. The mixture is refluxed for five hours. The mixture is allowed to cool and the amine and unreacted amide are extracted with ether (or toluene etc). The ether is washed three times with water and the MDA is precipitated by a stream of HCl gas. Filter and let dry.
Acetonitrile can be used in place of sodium cyanide to form the acetamide. The acetamide would need to be hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid though. Refer to Ritter's article under N-(benzylmethylcarbinyl)-acetamide. Substitute the allylbenzene for 32.4g of safrole.
Used from: http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/tcboe/chapter7.html
(You can find aparatus picture there.)
Anyone had any luck using this reaction!?
What about yields!?
In the same page you can find method to prepare MDA using NH4Cl and Al/Hg reductive amination with cca 70% yields.
I find this hard to believe.


Many members have decorated their ceilings attempting to get this procedure to work, only to conclude it's a waste of safrole
An isoquinoline results, as was published in the attached article authored by John Ritter
It's simply a matter of if it sounds too good to be true, then it almost certainly isn't 


