Ammoniating fuel for shake n bakes

[SoldadoDeDrogas]

From the methamphetamine episode of Hamiltons Pharmacopeia:

"Heimlich" prepares ammoniated ether from scratch using OTC ingredients, WITHOUT using an ammonium salt. This post is to discuss alternative methods for bronzing lithium for use in improvised birch reactions.
Items used:
Fire extinguisher
Calcium carbonate
Magnesium Sulfate from baked epsom salt
Diethyl ether from cans of starting fluid
Ammonia cleaning solution (%5-%10?)

Empty fire extinguisher and clean. Wash and dry diethyl ether from starting fluid. Add ammonia and calcium carbonate to fire extinguisher and prepare to 'double boil' for an extended period.
-- "As the termperature inside the fire extinguisher reaches 58 degrees celcius, the ammonium carbonate, [made in situ], decomposes into water, carbon dioxide and ammonia, which dissolves in the ether."
What is not shown but should be assumed: After a significant period of time, the fire extinguisher is cooled to room pressure and should be cooled further to best condense and facilitate the absorbing of ammonia into the ether, simultaneously reducing the pressure. After safely purging the pressurized vapor inside the fire extinguisher, the ether and aqueous layer are to be seperated and the aqueous layer discarded.

Continued captions from the rest of the cook:
"Heimlich removes the lithium anode from two AA batteries and submerges them in isopropanol. Now with the ammonia in solution, Heimlich opens the valve assembly and introduces the crushed pseudoephedrine and lithium which serenely floats on the surface of the ammoniated ether. The fire extinguisher is cooled to room temperature and plunged into an ice bucket. A naked electron is swept from the lithium and cradled in a shell of ammonia molecules, absorbing red light and reflecting an other worldly blue".

I have not experimented with this.. yet. There are no portions given, I am just presenting this as an idea for discussion for how users might be able to get around not being able to find ammonium nitrate or another ammonium salt for use in their pop bottle adventures. Anybody have any thoughts or anything to add? Please share.

 

[BlueDex]

You can replace Ammonia with Ethylamine. Ethylamine has a higher boiling point and requires less pressure to keep liquid.

 

[SoldadoDeDrogas]

Oh, yeah I remember I saw you said that in another thread. So it performs the same duty as bronzling/solvating the lithium and creating a vehicle for the electron to move into the substrate for reduction of EP/PSE? In context of shake and bake, would/could you still add lye or another base for freebasing the pseudo HCl in situ or a 'one pot'?
Or would this better be done in preparation to avoid any error/byproduct?
And if you could suggest any information or resources on making ethylamine OTC, I and others could benefit, especially if there is a way to convert it to methylamine too, it could be a very useful reagent.

 

[BlueDex]

You still have to freebase the Pseudoephedrine. You can add Ephedrine HCl and water and Hexane and add Sodium Hydroxide NaOH and the Ephedrine should go to the Hexane layer. Also, you still need Coleman's Camp Fuel to dissolve Ethylamine. Hexane with Ephedrine or Pseudoephedrine freebase can be added. Alternatively, you can freebase Ephedrine in the same reaction vessel soda stream. Then Modified Birch Reduction after bronzing Lithium metal for solvated electrons. Also, Propanamide can be turned into Ethylamine using Sodium Hypochlorite NaOCl and Sodium Hydroxide NaOH. Acetamide can be turned into Methylamine using Sodium Hypochlorite NaOCl and Sodium Hydroxide NaOH. It's called a Hoffman rearrangement.