HOw could tryptamine be methylated in the alpha position?
VL_

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So much game I could sell a hooker some pussy
Vl_

You don´t because it won´t. If it were so, don´t you think regular amphetamine would be made from phenylethylamine, or meth from N-methylphenylethylamine.

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Catalytic hydrogenation freak

I think it would be possible to methylate it but not with one step.

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A friend with speed is a friend indeed

I won´t argue with you if you want to come up with a cheap and high-yielding procedure to alpha-methylate phenylethylamine  

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Catalytic hydrogenation freak

Three years ago or so we discussed exactly that at the Hive (or alpha-methylating phenylalanine). A lot of papers from that discussion are on my homepage

http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/storey/116/