I tried this post but I was wrong in my conclusion and admited it and so I try again. I don;t know how to paste into this formula diagrams and hence will talk it through.
I Propose that,
If you start with the amino acid Phenylalanine and then do the Dakin-West reaction , one which add and anhydride, in the presence of pyridine, the carboxyl group is prplaced with a acytl group and the NH2 becomes acylated. Now you have an oxazolone.
This is essentially a double ester one on the number three carbon and the other off the NH side branch on the alpha carbon. Now by doing an ester reduction one ends with a OH off the main chain and the side chain , so by reduction of an alcohol to an alkene with H2So4, then we finish it off by catalytic hydrogenation to make it an meth-amphetamine needing HCL to make it a salt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I think?
any comments, I've looked at this and it seems sound........