Could phenylethanolamine be used in this reaction
Yes, this would generate straight aminorex.
see post 22556 psychokittyPost 22556 (missing)
(Orbital: "Re: AMT, Alpha methyl-tryptamine", General Discourse), this ref. doesn't check out. What do you mean?
Could HOCN be substituted for KOCN?No. HOCN is generated in situ: phenylethanolamine.HCl + KOCN --> KCl + HOCN + phenylethanolamine freebase.
Furthermore, one can't prepare and keep (or buy) an HOCN (aq.) solution since HOCN hydrolyses in contact with moisture to NH
3 and CO
2. Even in dry organic solvents isocyanic acid readily polymerizes to give a mixture of cyanuric acid and cyamelide.
The stoichiometry of this reaction seems to be VERY important: if an excess of isocyanic acid is used, the biuret reaction kicks in ... effectively destroying the carbamate precursor R-NH-CO-NH
2 --> R-NH-CO-NH-CO-NH
2 What can be more easy than using a balance to accurately weigh the needed amount of NaOCN or KOCN?