Preparatory arrangements
Starting material may be any lysergic
acid derivative, from ergot on rye grain or from culture, or morning glory seeds or from synthetic sources. Preparation #1 uses any amide, or lysergic
acid as starting material. Preparations #2 and #3 must start with lysergic
acid only, prepared from the amides as follows:
PRECURSOR 1
Reagants:
10g LSA
200ml 8% KOH Solution (plus methanol)
200ml 8% KOH Solution
Dry Nitrogen Gas
Tartaric acid
Diethyl Ether
Methanol
Indicator
Equipment:
Vacuum distillation apparatus
Filtering apparatus
Heating mantle
Digestion bomb
Assorted glassware
1. Dissolve 10 g of any lysergic
acid amide from various natural sources in 200 ml of methanolic KOH solution.
2. Immediately remove the methanol in vacuo.
3. Treat the residue with 200 ml of an 8% aqueous solution of KOH and heat on a steam bath for one hour.
4. Stream nitrogen gas through the flask during heating (The evolved NH3 gas may be titrated as HCl)
5. The alkaline solution is made neutral to congo red with tartaric
acid and filtered
6. Extract with ether
7. Filter and evaporate the aqueous solution
8. Digest with MeOH to remove some of the coloured material from the crystals of lysergic acid.