# Birch Reduction thoughts/opinions



## x9Ev3nTh0riz0n9x (Feb 27, 2022)

Has anyone got any experience with Birch reductions that they would like to share? Please no one-pot methods but real birch reductions. I have tried forever to find a video to aide. I have heard that synthesis of anhydrous ammonia is fairly simple as well.


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## William Dampier

Anhydrous ammonia commercially available (in ethanol or methanol 2-4M) for sodium reduction. But for liquid ammonia at home - forget it.


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## brianvene1

Hello @ x9Ev3nTh0riz0n9x
I found this from a official document

*Birch reduction*: this proceeds via a dissolving metal reduction of ephedrine
or pseudoephedrine in the presence of ammonia. 
The reaction involves mixing the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine with *anhydrous ammonia gas *and* either sodium *or* lithium metal. *
The mixture is then allowed to stand until the ammonia has evaporated. Isolation of the meth oil is carried out by direct solvent extraction and filtration. 
The reaction product is further purified by formation of the hydrochloride
salt and re-crystallisation. In illicit practice, Birch reduction is usually completed in a one-step reaction using widely available ammonia, and lithium strips from batteries. Despite this, Birch reduction usually produces a very “clean”
end-product. Several route-specific impurities such as N-methyl-1-(1-(1,4-cyclohexadienyl))-
2-propanamine are reported in the literature. The reaction involving anhydrous ammonia is hazardous and explosions in clandestine laboratories are not uncommon.


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