A 2,5-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde and nitroethane condensation produces 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-nitropropene. A 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-2-nitropropene reduction gives 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine (2,5-DMA) free base.
At a glance, regular benzaldehyde could be used here and this whole reaction is the ammonium acetate substituted to cyclohexamine version. correct me if I’m wrong ?
the benzene was just used to extract nitropropene. i believe you can use whatever NPS that dissolves your nitropropene. Toluene or maybe DCM?
. or better yet, could one dissolve in min. qty of IPA forming a boiling saturated solution and pour into ice cold. distilled water bath then, filter out the crystals? maybe because the nonpolar solvent was maybe used due to the ammonium acetate catalyst which shulgin reports being quite dirty final product due to side Reactions with 2,5-DMBA.
potentially some of those impurities are water soluble? Which might clean it ip too? just thoughts. bb