Actually Osmium, Salvinorin A has 7 stereo centers, so I guess everyones input about the impossibility of producing this chemical via normal organic chemistry is not baseless. I was thinking along the lines of synthetically producing Salvinorin A in genetically altered E. coli. The steps and procedures needed to obtain Salvinorin A through the use of genetic engineering would probably be much simpler than the method for obtaining it through countless complex chemical reactions. After the initial trouble and effort is put into creating a strain of E. coli with the DNA coding for Salvinorin A in it, it would take a very minimal amount of effort to mantain large pools of the bacteria, force them to produce the maximum amount of Salvinorin A, lyse the cells, and collect the prized product.
All we need is one person to take the initial steps in isolating and then implementing the gene coding for Salvinorin A into an E. coli plasmid. After that it would not be too far of a stretch to think that others would pay top dollar for a culture of this genetically enhanced bacteria from the original producer. The same thing could be done to produce everything from mescaline (from Trichocereus peruvianus DNA) to LSA (from Hawaiin Baby Woodrose DNA) and even psilocybin and psilocin (from the DNA of innumerable Psylocybe mushrooms). The possibilities of genetic engineering in regards to our underground trade are only limited to the available genetic code of psychotropic plants already present in nature.
Unfortunately though, it seems that I have not and will not find an answer (other than my own) in regards to Salvinorin A production here in the Serious Chemistry Forum. How does the proposal of a Biotech (genetic engineering, chemical pathways, etc) Forum sound to the almighty Pimp Bees?
Keep your contributions coming...
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