How do you make pseudoephedrine?

Answer 1

Pseudoephedrine produced for commercial use is derived from yeast fermentation of dextrose in the presence of benzaldehyde. In this process, specialized strains of yeast (typically a variety of Candida Utilis or Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) are added to large vats containing water, dextrose and the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase (such as found in beets and other plants). After the yeast has begun fermenting the dextrose, the benzaldehyde is added to the vats, and in this environment the yeast converts the ingredients to the precursor l-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC). L-PAC is then chemically converted to pseudoephedrine via reductive amination.

Answer 2

Pseudoephedrine synthesisMolecular formula: (1S,2S)-2-methylamino-1-phenylpropan-1-ol,

to be symbolised as C6H5-1CHOH-2C(CH3)-NH-CH3

Nowadays it's made synthethically, not by extraction of Ephaedra grass anymore.

It looks like something using:

First part:

The fermentation of benzaldehyd by yeast (Candida or Saccharomyces) species growing on dextrose and with 'help' from the enzyme pyruvate decarboxylase.

Benzaldehyd is then transferred into precursor L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC, officially named: (1S)-1-hydroxy-1-phenyl-propan-2-one)

Second part:

L-PAC is then chemically converted to pseudoephedrine via reductive amination.

This involves the conversion of the carbonyl group to an amine via an intermediate imine. The carbonyl group is at the '-2-' position on the propan part of LPAC.

(More on 'Synthesis of Pseudoephedrine' and 'Reductive Amination' can be found in Related links, just below this answer)

Answer 3

Yes you can. Pseudoephedrine is an isomer of ephedrine . So there is surely a way to arrange the atoms in the ephedrine configuration . I am not sure how . Search it using your friendly search engines .