But, I might admit to seeing it. It has been a while, but....in the experiments I observed.....Electro-reductions did not work very well for producing Mescaline....poor yields.
Never tried producing it via H2/Pt, I assumed it was possible, but I must defer to hest. In my experiments, I used H2/Pt to produce P2Ps from Nitro-propenylbenzenes via the oxime. This works well, and it scales well.
The LAlH4 reduction does work fairly well, but it isn't the highest yielding of LAlH4 reductions. This I have seen.
Regarding Hydrogenations:
Shaking, it has it's advantages.
Stirring also has something to be said for it; It is easy, and it can be done with stuff you already have, a filter flask with a balloon on it will work nicely. Further, there are stir bars that are designed to help entrain gases, and since it is a stationary setup, successive charges of reactant can be siphoned through the system, through fixed siphon tubes. Best point might be, that you could experiment with it tomorrow afternoon.
Those stationary systems, that provide agitation via an isolated solenoid, might provide the best of both worlds. Alas, I never had the pleasure of working with one.
But, from what we are hearing, hydrogenation, may not be the best answer for this one.
As for lying on patents and research papers, I concur with hest. They lie.
Now, my question. Has anyone tried to circumvent this nasty reduction problem via using 3,5-Di-iodo(or Di-Bromo) tyrosine as a starting material?
Hest, do you think this is possible? No reductions, Just methoxylation, methylation, and decarboxylation?