N-Cyclohexylidenethylamine -> PCE

[Bwiti]

Here's a part of the PCE synth from

http://ketamine.net/pcp/imine_synth.html

"Next, a solution of phenyllithium was prepared by adding 11 g of lithium metal slowly to 76 ml bromobenzene in 500 ml of ether. This was added dropwise to a solution of 51 g of the N-cyclohexylidenethylamine in 500 ml of ether, with stirring and cooling to keep the temp at 0 deg C. The mixture was heated to reflux with stirring for one hour, and then decomposed by addition of water. The ether layer was separated, washed with water, and extracted into dilute HCl. The acid layers were basified with NaOH and extracted back into organic solvent. The solvent can now be evaporated to yield N-ethyl-1-phenylcyclohexylamine (PCE) freebase."

  Could phenylmagnesium bromide be used instead?
  Love my country. Fear my government.

[Ritter]

Absolutely.  Yields should be similar.

[Bwiti]

Thanks! As far as making the N-cyclohexylidenethylamine goes, why not say the hell with using p-toluensulfonic acid, bubble the ethylamine into the cyclohexanone and use Mg-sulfate to dry it?
  Love my country. Fear my government.

[Bwiti]

"A mixture of 100 g of anhydrous ethylamine and 220 g of cyclohexanone was kept 16 hours, then shaken with solid KOH. The lower oil layer, which comprises the imine ( N-cyclohexylidenethylamine), was then removed by decantation."
from:

https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/pcp/imine_synth.html

  If the lower oil layer is the imine, then what's the top layer?

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