Theory.
The free base of amphetamine obtained by a synthesis is converted into a salt form (the free base can be inhaled, used in oral suspension and orally disintegrating tablet (ODT)) for oral, intranasal or intravenous use. Amphetamine is sold and used in the form of salts. We will figure out what amph. (amphetamine) salts are and how they differ.Mainly three salts are obtained:
I will say right away that all three salts are only white. If the salt is colored, it means it contains impurities. If someone tells you that this is some kind of unusual salt, then send to clean and rinse the product he sells. So, all three salts are completely white powder. Amphetamine phosphate and sulfate are fine crystalline and with high bulk density, while hydrochloride is amorphous, fluffy (low bulk density). Amphetamine phosphate and sulfate are well stored, but amphetamine hydrochloride is very hygroscopic, saturated with moisture from the air and spreads, it is stored only in a sealed package without air access. So far as power is concerned, that one salt "better", "stronger" than another one. The amphetamine salt molecule consists of two parts, the amphetamine molecule (cation) and the acid residue (anion). So, the more active substance (amphetamine) per unit weight of salt, the stronger effect on the body.
I will calculate how much amphetamine is contained in 1 g of each of the listed salts.
Molar masses:Sulfate - 368.50 g/mol
Phosphate - 233.20 g/mol
Hydrochloride - 171.67 g/mol
Therefore, in 1 g (rounded off) amount of amphetamine sulfate - 0.00271 mol, phosphate - 0.00429 mol, hydrochloride - 0.00583 mol.
The molar mass of the free base of amphetamine is 135.21 g/mol
Therefore, 1 g of amphetamine sulfate contains 0.73 g, phosphate contains 0.58 g, and amphetamine hydrochloride contains 0.79 g of amphetamine. Thus, amphetamine sulfate and hydrochloride do not big differ in the amount of active substance, while amphetamine phosphate contains ~1.3 times less of it.
As for all urban legends about the fact that sulfate is "more stimulating" and phosphate is "more euphoric", they have no evidence base. In the human body, acid ion is cleaved off almost immediately, and amphetamine forms metabolites that act on dopamine receptors. The difference in effects may be due to residual or deliberately added impurities, but not the form of the salt. Pure amphetamine in any form works exactly the same.
There are pharmacy medications forms of amphetamine. Several currently marketed amphetamine formulations contain both enantiomers, including those marketed under the brand names Adderall, Adderall XR, Mydayis, Adzenys ER, Adzenys XR-ODT, Dyanavel XR, Evekeo, and Evekeo ODT. Of those, Evekeo (including Evekeo ODT) is the only product containing only racemic amphetamine (as amphetamine sulfate), and is therefore the only one whose active moiety can be accurately referred to simply as "amphetamine". Dextroamphetamine, marketed under the brand names Dexedrine and Zenzedi, is the only enantiopure amphetamine product currently available. A prodrug form of dextroamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, is also available and is marketed under the brand name Vyvanse. As it is a prodrug, lisdexamfetamine is structurally different from dextroamphetamine, and is inactive until it metabolizes into dextroamphetamine. The free base of racemic amphetamine was previously available as Benzedrine, Psychedrine, and Sympatedrine. Levoamphetamine was previously available as Cydril. Many current amphetamine pharmaceuticals are salts due to the comparatively high volatility of the free base. However, oral suspension and orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) dosage forms composed of the free base were introduced in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
For example, Adderall performed as a mix of four salt of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine.
As for all urban legends about the fact that sulfate is "more stimulating" and phosphate is "more euphoric", they have no evidence base. In the human body, acid ion is cleaved off almost immediately, and amphetamine forms metabolites that act on dopamine receptors. The difference in effects may be due to residual or deliberately added impurities, but not the form of the salt. Pure amphetamine in any form works exactly the same.
There are pharmacy medications forms of amphetamine. Several currently marketed amphetamine formulations contain both enantiomers, including those marketed under the brand names Adderall, Adderall XR, Mydayis, Adzenys ER, Adzenys XR-ODT, Dyanavel XR, Evekeo, and Evekeo ODT. Of those, Evekeo (including Evekeo ODT) is the only product containing only racemic amphetamine (as amphetamine sulfate), and is therefore the only one whose active moiety can be accurately referred to simply as "amphetamine". Dextroamphetamine, marketed under the brand names Dexedrine and Zenzedi, is the only enantiopure amphetamine product currently available. A prodrug form of dextroamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, is also available and is marketed under the brand name Vyvanse. As it is a prodrug, lisdexamfetamine is structurally different from dextroamphetamine, and is inactive until it metabolizes into dextroamphetamine. The free base of racemic amphetamine was previously available as Benzedrine, Psychedrine, and Sympatedrine. Levoamphetamine was previously available as Cydril. Many current amphetamine pharmaceuticals are salts due to the comparatively high volatility of the free base. However, oral suspension and orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) dosage forms composed of the free base were introduced in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
For example, Adderall performed as a mix of four salt of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine.
Chemically, Adderall is composed of equal parts (by mass) of amphetamine aspartate monohydrate, amphetamine sulfate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, and dextroamphetamine saccharate. This drug mixture has slightly stronger CNS effects than racemic amphetamine due to the higher proportion of dextroamphetamine.
Experiments.
You can provide some easy experiment for identification of type of your amphetamine salt. Dissolve 100 mg (100 mg is enough, but more is better) of the amphetamine sample in 7-10 ml room temperature water. Provide necessitate reaction mentioned below.Quality reaction for sulfate ions:
Sulfate and strontium chloride solutionAdd aqueous strontium chloride (SrCl2) solution to the sulfate ion solution and observe the changes. Strontium chloride (SrCl2) gives white precipitate (SrSO4) with sulfate ion solutions. SrSO4 is insoluble in acids.
Sulfate ion and barium chloride solution.
Add aqueous barium chloride (BaCl2) to the sulfate ion solution and observe the differences. BaSO4, a white precipitate, forms in the solution. BaSO4 is not soluble in strong acids and dilute acids.
Silver nitrate and sulfate ions.
AgNO3 does not form a precipitate with aqueous dilute sulfate solutions. Silver sulfate (Ag2SO4) is fairly soluble in water. However, concentrated Ag2SO4 solution may be deposited as a precipitate.
Precipitate list of sulfate ion with colors:
- Strontium sulfate - SrSO4 - white;
- Barium sulfate - BaSO4 — white.
Silver nitrate and phosphate ion solution.
Silver nitrate and phosphate ion solution react and form silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) a yellow precipitate. That precipitate dissolve in dilute nitric acid HNO3 or ammonia solutions.
Ferric chloride (FeCl3) and PO43- react and give ferric phosphate(FePO4) a yellow precipitate. This yellow precipitate will dissolve in dilute nitric acid. But do not dissolve in acetic (CH3COOH) acid.
Barium chloride (BaCl2) aqueous solution and PO43- aqueous solution react and give Ba3(PO4)2, a white precipitate which dissolve in dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Add chloride ion solution to lead(II) acetate or lead(II) nitrate.
Lead(II) chloride, white precipitate is formed when aqueous chloride solution is added to lead(II) acetate (Pb(CH3COO)2) solution or lead(II) nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) solution.
Pb(CH3COO)2(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) → PbCl2(s) + 2CH3COO- (aq)
Pb(NO3)2(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) → PbCl2(s) + 2NO3- (aq)
Lead(II) chloride (PbCl2), white precipitate is formed.
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