Hey -- thanks a lot, people; I really appreciate it. Sorry for not posting the ref; I was pretty drunk last night. Yeah, the zinc acetate is being used in place of the copper acetate; the synth says it's ok:
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/tryptophan.html (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/tryptophan.html)
Thanks again,
--
Micro
maybe you find something of interest in this thread:
(inbetween lots of ramblings by myself (how embarassing!))
Post 401891 (https://www.thevespiary.org/talk/index.php?topic=13246.msg40189100#msg40189100)
(hypo: "trp decarboxylation with HCl/benzene?", Tryptamine Chemistry)
short version: EtOAc disolves it all, but on evaporation
the yellow sticky precipitate is turned into disgusting tar.
DCM disolves only very little. maybe try removing the
DMSO under vacuum and do a continuous extraction with DCM?
Sorry -- the ref for the reaction is at:
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/tryptophan.html (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/tryptophan.html)
It seems, from the r(x) scheme, like Cu and Zn should be interchangable.... look at the picture w/t/ r(x) scheme.
--
Micro
The full reference - Synthesis 171 (1974) - can be retrieved for free, see Post 363228 (https://www.thevespiary.org/talk/index.php?topic=11914.msg36322800#msg36322800)
(Rhodium: "Free Online Chemistry & Medicinal Journals", Novel Discourse)