Resolution of racemic ephedrine(d,l-ephedrine) will be done by d-mandelic acid but what about pseudoephedrine? d-mandelic acid is usable for it?
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Resolution of dl-Ephedrine.—A mixture of 13.8 g. of dl-ephedrine and 7.7 g. of d-mandelic
acid was dissolved in 30 cc. of hot 95% alcohol. On cooling the d-ephedrin-d-
mandelate crystallized out. After two recrystallizations from a small volume of alcohol
the product consisted of colorless, rhombic plates, melting at 170° with previous
sintering at 167°. The combined mother liquor yielded a further small amount of this
product. The salt as thus obtained was basified with potassium hydroxide and the base
was extracted with ether. The ethereal solution was evaporated to a small volume and
treated with alcoholic hydrogen chloride. The d-ephedrine hydrochloride as thus obtained
melted at 218 to 218.5°.
The mother liquor from the mandelate of the d-base was basified and the.extracted
base treated with 7.7 g. of l-mandelic acid. The crystalline mandelate was twice
recrystallized from a small volume of alcohol; m. p. 170° with previous sintering at
167°. The l-ephedrine hydrochloride obtained from the mandelate melted at 218 to
218.5°, alone or admixed with a purified specimen from Ma Huang.
It was now possible to obtain a further amount of d- and then l-base from the
mother liquor from the mandelate crystallizations by alternate treatment with d- and
l-mandelic acid, respectively.

