Osmium said that the re-arrangement of 2-phenylpropanol to phenylacetone is only possible using TLC (thin layer chromatography). Due to Hydrotropic Aldehyde having a very close BP temp. to P2P. Now, cheese thought that after the rxn took place in -15*C, one could just extract the P2P with ether or toluene or whatever non-polar you want.
Or would the the Hydratropaldehyde go into the non-polar as well? This seems very challenging the more cheese thinks about it. Ephedrine reduction is so much more direct, in a sense that no intermediates like "p2p" need bee made, it's just one reduction of ephedrine via HI.
May The Source Bee With You....Always.
- OB1KNoBee