How do you make meth from phenylalanine?

Answer 1

Phenylalanine is 2-amino-3-phenylpropanoic acid, which is

more or less amphetamine with a COOH where the CH3 should be at the end

of the chain.

Thionyl chloride will replace the OH with a Cl, which falls off

and is replaced by H when you give it lithium aluminum hydride, sodium

borohydride, or hydrogen gas and nickel/platinum.

If you use hydrogen andmetal for that step, you'll have to reduce the

carbonyl group with one ofthe hydrides, so best save time + effort and

use them and do both reductions at once.

(i.e dont use PD/H2 use LiAlHy or the sodium borohyd)

When that carbonyl is reduced, you now have

amphetamine. Go back to rhodium mirror for amphetamine into

methamphetamine.