My friend has run this reaction several times, several ways (including chromic's final), with different brands of GABA. So far, hes pretty much wasted $100 and several days for nothing.
He's tried using H2SO4 from the get-go, using HCl, three different brands of GABA, NP extraction of GBL in acidic solution using ether and then coleman's, titrating the NP with a base to try and synth GHB from the GBL extraction, boiling off the NP to leave GBL, etc., etc...
As far as he is concerned, he's either dumber than shit for missing something or hes wasting his time trying to turn lead into gold.
Can someone please write up or point my friend to a successful abstract they KNOW works?
Also, when did people stop talking about color changes? Anyone besides my friend pay attention to color changes during a reaction these days? What color is the "GBL" that has been extracted, I wonder?