from elusis' methylamine faq
Assemble a 500mL RB flask with claisen adapter, thermometer down the center to read the liquid temperature, and reflux condenser with a cork and tube leading to a beaker of 1M Hydrochloric acid. Drop a stirrer magnet in, then add 105g of 40 Mesh Iron filings, 225mL of water and 1g of Ferric Chloride. Next, add 35mL of concentrated Hydrochloric Acid ("muriatic acid" is ok). When the bubbling ceases, add 31g of Nitromethane.
Heat the reaction mixture to 100°C and hold for 14 hours. A temperature regulator is necessary if using a heating mantle, else use a large boiling water bath (if you will be doing it overnight, so it doesn't run out).
All that is going on here to convert the Nitro to Methylamine is Fe, FeCl, HCl, and Nitro being heated to 100° so that part would work I don't see why bromosafrole would interfere with that reaction. The resulting methylamine would react with the bromosafrole given reflux conditions. So where's the problem? Only one I can see would be the Fe or HCl interfering with the bromosafrole + methylamine reaction. This reaction would be a little bit similar to the Nitromethane Al/Hg. Think of how easy it would be.
Safrole + HBr --> bromosafrole
bromosafrole + Fe + HCl + nitromethane --> MDMA
I'll try it this week unless you can give me a good reason not to. Please comment.