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Legal methamphetamine is sold under such
trade names as Desoxyn, Methedrine, etc.
It is closely related both in structure
and effects to regular amphetamine, called
benzedrine and dexedrine. The difference
between methedrine and benzedrine is that
meth is more potent and its effect lasts
a longer time. Meth is a potent stimulant
similar in effect to cocaine, but much longer
lasting.
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The heart of the chemical laboratory is
the set of glassware collectively called
"the kit." It consists of several
round bottom flasks, a claisen adapter,
a still head with thermometer holder, a
thermometer, a condenser, a vacuum adapter
and a separatory funnel (sep funnel, for
short). These pieces each have ground glass
joints of the same size, so that the set
can be put together in a variety of ways,
depending on the process being done. For
the production of quarter to third of a
pound batches, 24/40 size ground glass joints
are used. Also necessary are one each of
the following sizes of round bottom flasks:
3000 ml, 2000 ml and 500 ml; and two each
of 1000 ml and 250 ml. Two condensers are
also required, both of the straight central
tube variety, one about 35 cm in length,
the other about 50 cm in length.
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The rise in temperature of both the oil
bath and the flask is monitored. The contents
of the flask are stirred regularly with
the thermometer. The temperature of the
oil bath is brought to 100 C over the course
of about 45 minutes. Once it reaches this
level, the heat is turned back down a little
bit to stabilize it in this area. The chemist
must closely control every degree of temperature
increase from here on. The temperature of
the contents of the flask is worked up to
105g C. The contents of the flask are stirred
every 15 minutes. At about 107 C, the reaction
kicks in, although sometimes the heat must
go as high as 110g C before it starts. When
the reaction starts, the contents of the
flask begin to bubble, sort of like beer,
except that a head does not develop.
The chemist wants to keep the temperature
down at the same level at which the reaction
first kicked in for as long as the reaction
will continue at that level. Generally,
it can go for a couple of hours at this
level before the reaction dies down and
an increase in temperature is necessary.
The reaction mixture has the same color
as beer and gently bubbles. The bubbles
rise up from the bottom of the flask, come
to the surface, and then head for where
the thermometer breaks the surface. Here
they collect to form bubbles about 1 centimeter
in size before they break. This may look
like boiling, but it is not. Everything
inside the flask has a much higher boiling
point than the temperatures being used.
These are actually bubbles of carbon dioxide
gas being formed as by-products of the reaction.
The chemist can tell how well the reaction
is going by the amount of bubbling going
on.
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