Comments | fred_cassidy: 5th Observation [audio // English]

fred_cassidy

5th Observation [audio // English]

Sep 27, 2009 19:22

Remy, Wall, the vanilla pods are ready.

[Fred's voice takes on a musing quality.A chemical called piperonal is a minor component of vanilla extract. It's fragrant on its own, is used as a perfume base and flavoring, and in the majority of humans, has a calming effect when its vapors are inhaled ( Read more... )

wall, this post brought to you by erowid, batou, batou/fred/whiskey ot3, pickles, kage, gail, i majored in that briefly, jack of all trades, fred's fact emporium--ask about specials, rfena, whiskey, kate, better living through chemistry, abby, remy, anything i cannot be stopped from doing

Comments 89

lfetimewarranty September 28 2009, 20:42:07 UTC

Again with all the fascinating information from the wild kingdom. Where'd you find it?

Are you sure you're not a zoologist or a botanist?

[She's amused, though. The vanilla itself doesn't really hold any fascination for her.]

fred_cassidy September 28 2009, 21:12:45 UTC

I was both a biology major and a chemistry major. You pick up a few things.

[Fred majored in a lot of subjects but managed never to get a degree.]

lfetimewarranty September 28 2009, 21:28:58 UTC

Retaining some relevant information, then.

[Is silent for a moment.]

I've never much been one for plants myself.

fred_cassidy September 28 2009, 21:35:44 UTC

You're writing off most of the biomass of the planet, there. Especially if you're willing to stretch a point and consider phytoplankton and algae as plants.

Thread 13

4nschik September 28 2009, 23:41:38 UTC

[Science-babble... Abby could be in love.]

Ahh... This is so comforting... But as a responsible grown-up, I have to ask what you intend to do with this piperonal. I mean, would you really talk so much about it just for vanilla?

Well, I guess you might, if you really love vanilla, but that just seems kind of unlikely. Sorry.

Anyway, having anxiety problems? I can understand that here.

fred_cassidy September 29 2009, 00:18:28 UTC

What do you mean? Rendering down vanilla pods to extract piperonal would be like grinding up a limestone fossil bed to make mortar.

[Fred lights a cigarette, and his Zippo clicks over the comm.]

Anxious? Not particularly.

[He just likes to hear himself talk.]

4nschik September 29 2009, 01:17:03 UTC

I've seen people do more senseless things.

In any case, you can't get to MDMA from vanilla, but you can from a series of processes using piperonal. Not easy in the least, I mean there's a lot of steps to get to it, but like I said. I've seen people do more senseless things.

Well, just checking in. Of course, you could just be a big fan of talking about things used in making sass oil. Whatever, I'm really not one to judge.

fred_cassidy September 29 2009, 03:22:35 UTC

If I were going to be cooking E, I'd start with safrole, myself. Isomerize to isosafrole with a hydroxide--probably sodium hydroxide, since I can make that myself--and then oxidize it into MDP2P.

Lots of paths from there, but I'm thinking aluminum amalgam would be the easiest. I don't know that I'd be able to get my hands on Prussic acid to be able to make myself some sodium cyanoborohydride and do it the easy way.

[Fred's organic chemistry. Let him show you it.]

Thread 27