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Can Butyric acid be used as a replacement for GBL in GHB synthesis?
Q: Can Butyric acid be used as a replacement for GBL in the GHB synthesis?

A: No. The synthesis of GHB from GBL is a simple ring-opening of a lactone, yielding a hydroxy-butyric acid. Using GBL as the precursor is by far the easiest method. Attempting to use butyric acid in a typical GBL -> GHB synthesis will give you nothing but a sodium or potassium salt of butyric acid, which should have little to no activity.



In order to use butyric acid to make GHB, you would have to add a hydroxyl group to the end opposite the carboxylic acid (the COOH). While there are several ways this can be done, they are somewhat complex and require several additional steps.



aloha

psilo

Asked By : ABC Thriller
Answered By : psilo
Published Date : 7 / 19 / 2001
Last Edited Date : 7 / 19 / 2001
Question ID : 2759

Categories: [ Chemistry ] [ GHB ]



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