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THC Extraction and Isomerization
Cannabis
Citation:   Walter. "THC Extraction and Isomerization: An Experience with Cannabis (exp106601)". Erowid.org. Jun 16, 2020. erowid.org/exp/106601

 
DOSE:
2 - 6 mg sublingual Cannabis (extract)
BODY WEIGHT: 160 lb
Recently I decided to take a look at THC extraction, and most of the information online is absolute garbage. I'm not saying that it doesn't get the job done, but it's inefficient and potentially dangerous. My job working in a chemistry lab has given me the opportunity to explore chemistry that most people cannot, and in this way I hope you'll find the following information useful.

The following procedural writeup is taken from the highest yielding and most potent trial. A combination of the scattered knowledge across the net as well as my own personal chemical insights yielded a 12% oil extract of nearly entirely THC after isomerization.

Procedure: To a 2-neck 250 mL round bottomed flask equipped with a stir bar was added 10 g grinded cannabis and 125 mL hexanes. The flask was placed in a water bath, equipped with a reflux condenser, and heated to 70° C. The reaction mixture was stirred for 3h at reflux temperatures then allowed to cool to RT. The reaction mixture was passed through a medium porosity frit, and returned to the reaction vessel. To the solution was added 400 mg p-Toluenesulfonic acid while stirring, and the flask was brought back to reflux temperatures for 45 minutes and monitored via TLC. The reaction mixture was cooled, neutralized with 30 mL aq. NaHCO3 solution, and extracted in two portions with 30 mL brine (60 mL total). The combined aqueous phases were back extracted with 20 mL hexanes (x2). The organic phases were combined, isolated and dried with anhydrous MgSO4 and passed through an activated carbon filter. Solids were removed, and solvent was removed under vacuum in a tared flask. The flask was placed in an oil bath at 120° C and stirred until bubble formation slowed. The mass of the resulting oil was recorded and diluted to .125M (~2mg/mL) in 75.5% ethanol in water.

Experimental Observations:
Reaction of p-toluenesulfonic acid with reaction mixture was followed by TLC in 3:1 hexanes/ethanol. Prior to addition of the acid, a spot appeared at Rf 0.75 and stretched to Rf 0.8. After 30 minutes refluxed in acidic conditions, the spot shortened to 0.75, indicating the conversion of cannabidiol to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

Upon quenching the acid reaction with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, the reaction mixture turned from dark golden brown to a forest green.

After drying with MgSO4, a small amount of activated carbon was added and solids were removed to yield an olive oil colored organic solution.

The ethanol/oil mixture was washed with water. The aqueous phase turned opaque seafoam green and was discarded.

Yield: 1.205g

The oil was diluted to 2mg/mL and tested up dropwise. Notes on effects, taken under influence of the drug

With 2 mg, sublingually:
Very light heady high. I feel almost normal.

With 4 mg, sublingually:
45 min: Definite effects. The previous trial was borderline, but this is a definite high. Different from smoking. I have none of the bodily stone that you would expect - almost entirely in my head. I feel as though I could run without much difficulty. No food cravings yet.

90 min: Still no cravings, but quite the high. I think I prefer this to smoking

With 6 mg, sublingually:
30 min: Effect is coming on strong. I'm getting stuck in these recursive though patterns. It's not a particularly pleasant place to be.

45 min: Had some brief nausea that cleared up when I walked around outside. This feels more like a standard 'marijuana high.' This is a low dose for such a high... If I did the math correctly this is the THC from only .04g of weed.

90 min: I much prefer THC extract to smoking.

Exp Year: 2015ExpID: 106601
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: 25
Published: Jun 16, 2020Views: 1,277
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Cannabis (1) : Cultivation / Synthesis (31), Preparation / Recipes (30), Unknown Context (20)

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