posted 12-05-1999 07:30 PM         

This much is true,...

Kolbe electrolytic synthesis:

2 CH3-CO-ONa + 2 H2O --(electrolysis)--> CH3-CH3 + 2 CO2 + 2 NaOH + H2

The product is the decarboxylated dimer, but here is the interesting part,...

Phenylaniline = C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-CO-OH

Kolbe electrolytic synthesis

2 C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-CO-ONa + 2 H2O --(electrolysis)--> 2 CO2 + 2 NaOH + H2 + C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-(CH3NH)CH-CH2-C6H5 (the kolbe dimer)

But what happens when you run the kolbe synthesis with phenylaniline and acetic acid?

Proposed kolbe electrolytic synthesis with acetic acid and phenylaniline:

C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-CO-ONa + CH3-CO-ONa + 2 H2O --(electrolysis)--> 2 CO2 + H2 + 2 NaOH + C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-CH3

It sounds like a real nice synthesis, but as of yet I have no real solid info on the Kolbe electrolytic synthesis, especially pretaining to the mixture of 2 orgnaic acid salts. I will try to find more information and I will keep you up to date...

posted 12-05-1999 10:23 PM         

If you design a trial and I can do it I'll give it a go.

but as you may know, I'm pretty good at mechanical stuff: and I have pressure and electrical and hydrogen and acetic and Pd/C

posted 12-06-1999 04:59 PM         

C6H5-CH2-CH(NH2)-CO-ONa

not

C6H5-CH2-CH(NHCH3)-CO-ONa.

posted 12-06-1999 05:23 PM         

Also an excess of acetic acid would probably be the best way to "push" the reaction towards the amphetamine instead of dimers.

Thanks for the input. I appreicate it.

posted 12-06-1999 08:06 PM         

You must form the Sodium salts for both in methanol.