Hi all-
I would like to share a tek that SWIM told me about concerning the use of all-OTC chems to produce relatively pure ergoline alkaloid crystals.
Also herein is invited debate as to whether all chlorine compounds will affect the quality and quantity of an ergoline extract, or merely aqueous elemental chlorine.
No measurements are given, as this is SWIM's tek, and was related in passing.
A quantity of an appropriate strain of ergoline alkaloid-containing material is reduced to the consistcy of coarse flour in a coffee grinder.
The flour is then placed in a sealable glass vessel and agitated with just enough tetrachloroethylene to saturate the flour, plus a bit more, for five minutes or less.
As soon as the flour floats, the TCE is immediately separated and drawn off, to be dicarded. This process is repeated once or twice more, then the flour is filtered once with filter paper, and once with cotton wool. The residue on the wool is then rinsed with minimal TCE, and all TCE fractions dicarded safely.
The flour is then freed, with good ventilation, of TCE on paper plates. The filter paper is pressed out well to blot the TCE.
The solvent-free flour is then placed into a different jar of equal or greater volume, and covered with an equal volume of IPA, plus a bit more, and again agitated for five minutes or less. As soon as the phases separate, filter with paper, with as little IPA as possible each time. Three to five times is sufficient, 7 is wasting solvent. Final filtration is with cotton wool, and the wool is rinsed with minimal IPA and squeezed out.
All fractions are pooled, and evaporation of the solvent leaves a colored, crystalline residue suitable, after recrystallization, for microscopy projects.
The purpose of this post, in part, is to challenge the notion that all chlorine is detrimental to ergoline alkaloids, and has proven, at least to me, that this is untrue.
Also of note is the advantage of using TCE to defat. Filtration of the sludge is now relatively simple, as the flour will form the superior phase in this instance, greatly aiding in separation of the substrate.
The contention of some, including the author of the infamous "Anarchist's Cookbook", that hours or days are necessary to effect a sufficient defat and/or subsequent extraction is absurd, as proved by this tek.
It has been SWIM's experience that the separation of the phases are the indicator that the defat/extraction is complete. Not to say that one simple pull will yield 100%, but that many small extractions are obviously superior to a single large one.
SWIM also metioned, without relating details, a tek using tartaric acid and 70% aqueous acetone in place of IPA. The effectiveness of this particular process remains to be seen.
I welcome all criticism and comment on SWIM's behalf.
-catfish
