I read that article, and I think it was wrong also. they claimed that reducing ephedrine resulted in amphetamine, and reducing norepinephrine produced methamphetamine. this is backwards. here is one I dug up:
Kindler et al., The Mechanisms of Chemical Reactions. X. Preparation of Phenyl-
and Cyclohexylalkylamines by Hydrogenation. Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem., 560,
215-21 (1948); C.A. 43: 1025g (1949).
It was found the hydrogenation of ephedrine to the corresponding amine is faster
with strong acids, such as H2SO4 and HClO4. Amino alcohols (such as ephedrine
and phenylpropanolamine) were hydrogenated only slowly in the absence of acid.
The use of H2SO4-H2O was better than that of H2SO4, avoiding reduction to H2S
and catalyst poisoning. The use of HClO4 in large amounts caused reduction of
C6H5 to C6H11 (the benzene ring was reduced to a cyclohexane ring).
(+)-Phenylisopropylmethylamine (PhCH2CHMeNHMe) was prepared in 95% yield as the
crude hydrochloride salt from 4 g. ephedrine hydrochloride, 90 cc. acetic acid,
4.7 g. 84% H2SO4, and 1 g. palladium wool. M.p. 166-8°, m.p. 182° (from
chloroform and ethyl acetate).
I don't notice any obvious errors in this logic. also, I believe that Pd/C or Pd/BaSO4 would work fine as catalysts. I am assuming that this reaction needs to occur under pressure and with somewhere between 60-90C temperature.