PLANTS mimosa chemistry

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DMT for the Masses

AMimosatenuiflora(=M.hostilis)RootBarkExtractionTek
BYNOMAN
v1.4Jun26,2012
RevisedversionofanarticleoriginallypublishedinTheEntheogenReview

Citation:Noman."DMTfortheMasses(v1.4)".Erowid.org.Jun26,2012.Onlineedition:Erowid.org/plants/nutmeg/nutmeg_article#.shtml.Original
publishedinTheEntheogenReview.Autumn200615(3):9192.

NOTE:Beforeperforminganyextractionprocedure,itisalwaysagoodideatoreadtheentiredescriptionofthe
processfromstarttofinish.PleaseseetheAddendumattheendofthistekforadditionaltips,refinements,and
clarificationsregardingtotheprocessesdescribed.AlsoseetherelatedarticleKeepthatMimosaMud?byJ.
Cocktoasten.

Disclaimer
Performingthisprocedureisillegalinmostcountries.IdonotadvocateperformingitwhereillegalandIdonot
performitmyselfwhereillegal.
Theintentofthistekistosimplifytheextractionprocedureasmuchaspossible,sothattheaveragepersoncan
completeitinakitcheninoneevening.WhileIthinkthatIhaveaccomplishedthisgoal,experimentalistsmuststill
dotheirhomework.Itisagoodideatoreadafewdifferentteksbeforedecidingwhichonetouse,andtoresearch
safehandlingproceduresforthechemicalsandequipmentrequired.Idon'tprovideinstructionsfordecanting,
siphoning,andfiltering,forexample,becauseIassumethatthoseinterestedinperformingkitchenchemistrywill
educatethemselvesonsuchbasicprocedures.

Materials
Mimosatenuiflora(=M.hostilis)rootbark
Acoffeegrinderorheavydutyblender(onethatwillcrushice)
Awidemouthedglassmixingjarwithatightfittinglid(aquartjarcando50gramsofrootbark,agallon
picklejarcando200grams)
Water
Lye(granulatedsodiumhydroxide)
Abottleofvinegar(forneutralizinganylyespills)
Adustmask,safetygoggles,andrubbergloves
Naptha(VM&P,notlighterfluid)
Fourwidemouthed8ounceglasscollectionjarswithlids(canningorjellyjarsworkwell)
Aseparatoryfunnelorgeartosiphonordecant
Coffeefilters
Arubberspatula
Afreezersettoaverycoldtemperature(itshouldfreezeicecreamrockhard)
Nonsudsyammonia(10%solution,e.g."janitorstrength",isoptimal,but5%"householdstrength"willdoas
well)
Aneyedropper

Process
1)SnaptheMimosatenuiflorarootbarkintosmallpiecesandrunitthroughthecoffeegrinderorblenderathigh
speed.Youmayneedpruningshearstocuttherootbarksmallenoughtogrindproperly.Pulverizeituntilitisjust
fiberandpink/purpledustitneedstobecompletelybrokendown.Thedustproducedisveryfineandastringentto
one'srespiratorytract.Unlessyoudigbigcakeypurpleboogers,wearadustmask.Aftergrinding,waitforabit
beforeopeningthetopofthecoffeegrinderorblender,sothatthedusthassometimetosettle.

2)Combinethelyeandthewaterinthemixingjar.Use15mlwaterand1gramoflyeforeverygramofpowdered
rootbarkthatwilllaterbeaddedintothemixingjar.[NOTE:SeeAddendum,point#1below.]Forexample:50grams
ofrootbarkpowderwouldrequire750mlwaterand50gramsoflye.Oneleveltablespoonoflyeweighsabout15
grams.[NOTE:Lyeisdangerous.Blindyouforeverdangerous.Haveabottleofvinegarhandyasanacidto
neutralizethecausticallybasiclyewhencleaningupanyspillsthatoccur,andweareyeprotectionandrubber
gloveswhenworkingwithlye.Addthelyetothewater,whileslowlyandconstantlystirringuntilithascompletely
dissolved.Alwaysaddthelyetothewater,andnottheotherwayaround.Addingwatertolyemaycausea
volcanolikereaction.ErowidNote:Dissolvinglyeinwatermustbedoneslowlybecauseitcausesanexothermic
(heatreleasing)reactionandthisheatcancausedangeroussplashing,thecontainertobetoohottotouch,and
canevencracknonborosilicateglassware,allofwhichcouldleadtodangeroussituations.]
3)Addthepowderedrootbarkintothelye/watersolutioninyourmixingjar.Capandshakethejar,thenletitsitfor
aboutanhour.
4)Nowaddtothemixingjar1mlofnaphthaforeach15mlofwaterusedtocreatethelyesolution.[NOTE:See
Addendum,point#2below.]Turnthejarendoverend.Donotshakeorsplash(ortherewillbeatendencyforthe
solutiontoformanunwantedemulsion)simplyrollthenaphthaaroundintherootbarkpowdersolutiontomixit.
Gentlydothisforoneminute,andthenletthejarstanduntilthenaphthahasmostlyseparatedandisfloatingon
top.Thenrepeatthisagitationprocessthreemoretimes.
5)Afterthefinalagitation,allowenoughtimetopassforthenaphthatoagainfloatontop,andthenseparatethe
twolayers.Thenaphtha(toplayer)goesinoneofthecollectionjars,everythingelsestaysinthemixingjar.A
separatoryfunnelistheeasiestmeanstoaccomplishseparationofthetwolayers,butvarioustechniquesof
siphoningordecantingcouldalsobeemployed.Noneofthedark(lower)solutionshouldbeallowedintothe
collectionjarjustthenaphtha.[NOTE:Ifyousavethedark(lower)basifiedsolution,thiscanbeusedtoextract
"junglespice"from:seeEntropymancer2008."'JungleSpice':MysteryAlkaloid(s)ofMimosaRootbark",The
EntheogenReview16(3):87108.]
6)Repeatsteps45abovethreemoretimes,butdonotaddanynewpowderedrootbark.Youwillbereprocessing
thesameoriginalrootbarkmaterial,inordertothoroughlyextracttheDMTfromit.Withthefinal(fourthjar)
extraction,leavethepowderedrootbarksoakinginthenaphthaforadayortwo(agitatingitoccasionally),tobetter
extractanyremainingDMTbeforeseparatingoffthenaphtha.[NOTE:SeeAddendum,point#3below.]Whenyou
havefinished,placeallfourcollectionjarsintoyourfreezerandgotobed.Youwillhavefour"snowglobes"waiting
foryouinthemorning.
7)Pourthenaphthafromeachjarthroughacoffeefilter,savingthenaphtha.(Thenaphthacanbereusedforyour
nextbatchofextractions,oritcanbeevaporatedofftoproducearesiduethatcanbefurtherrefinedsee
"Recrystallization"below).[NOTE:Ithasbeenpointedoutthatusingfreshnaphthaforeachextractionresultsin
significantlybetterqualitymaterial,withlessDMToxideandoilsinthefinalproductandabetterfreeze
precipitation.]Alotofpastewillsticktothejar,souseasmallrubberspatulatoscrapethispastefromthejar's
sidesdownintothefilteraswell.Spreadouteachfiltertodry.Therewillstillbesomeresidueinthejarsabitof
SalviadivinorumorCannabiscanbeusedtoscrubthemout,providinganenhancedaspecttothoseherbs.
8)Thepastemustbeallowedtodrythoroughlychopandstiritacoupleoftimestomakesurethatthisisthecase.
Onceitseemstobedry,crushupanylumps.[NOTE:Minimizetheairflowaboveyourproductwhileevaporatingoff
thesolventanddryingtheDMT.Havingafanblowingabovetheproduct(notrecommended)hasbeenreportedto
transformwhitecrystalsintoyellowgoosuchairflowmayconvertsomeoftheDMTintoDMToxide,whichisa
yellow,stickygoo(andapparentlynotasstrongasDMTordifferentineffect,dependingonwhoyoutalkto).]
9)[NOTE:Ifyouintendtorecrystallizeyourmaterialinordertofurtherpurifyit,youcanskipthisstep.Also,see
Addendum,point#4below.]Combineallofthedriedmaterialintoonecoffeefilter.Washthismaterialbypouring
freezertemperaturenonsudsyammoniaoveritandthroughthecoffeefilter.Itisimperativethattheammoniayou
useisofthenonsudsyvariety.Youcanshakethebottletotellifitcreatessuds,getadifferentkind.Rinsingwon't
takemuchammonia,about4ouncesfora200grambatch.Stirthepowderaroundwhilerinsingtomakesurethat
allofitisthoroughlywetted.Agoodbitofthemasswillwashawayperhaps2545%butit'snothingyouwantto
besmokinganyway.Youshouldbeleftwithabout0.5%oftheweightoftherootbarkinDMTpowder.Whendried,
itisperfectlysmokableatthispoint,butitcanberefinedfurtherbyrecrystallization.Althoughrecrystallization
inevitablyresultsinsomeproductloss,onceyou'vehadahitofDMTthatleftabsolutelynothingbehindinthepipe,
youwon'twanttouseanythingelse.

Recrystallization
Forourcurrentpurposes,theideabehindrecrystallizationisthatthechosensolventholdsmoreDMTwhenhot
thanwhencold,andthatsomeimpuritiesremainmoreeasilywithincoldsolvent.Whilenaphthawillworkfor
recrystallization,abettersolventtouseatthispointisheptane.HeptaneisavailableinBestine,arubbercement
removeravailableatartsupplystores.[NOTE:WehavebeeninformedthatnotalltypesofBestineuseheptane,
sochecktomakesurethatthisisthesoleingredient.]

PlaceaglasscontainerholdingtheDMTandaglasscontainerfilledwiththerecrystallizationsolventtogetherina
panofhotwater.Shotglassesinasaucepanworkwellforagramortwo.Thefumesfromyoursolventare
extremelyflammable,soonlyuseacontainedelectricheatingsource.(Electricrangeswithcoilstyleelementscan
ignitefumes,ascantheheatcoilsinelectricovens.Gasrangesoranysortofopenflame,obviously,mustbe
avoided.)TheDMTwillalreadybemeltingifthewaterishotenough.Usinganeyedropper,addthehotsolvent
littlebylittlewhileagitatingtheDMTuntilallofthematerialhasdissolved.Use2030mlofsolvent(orless)per
gramofpowderyouwanttouseaslittlesolventaspossible.Whenallofthematerialhasgoneintosolution,the
solventwillbeaclearyellow.
LeavethepanofwaterwiththeDMTcontainertocooldowntoroomtemperature.ThenremovetheDMTcontainer
andplaceitintoyourrefrigerator.Later,moveitintoyourfreezer.Thisstepwiseprocessallowsforgradualcooling
andtheprecipitationofcrystals.YouwillendupwithDMTcrystalsofvaryingpurityontopofapelletofslag,which
stillcontainsquiteabitofDMT(butalsosomelye,ifyouskippedtheammoniawash).Dothecoffeefilterbitagain
todrythematerial,andthenseparatethecrystalsfromtheslag.Thecrystalscanbefurtherrefined,throughoneor
twomorerecrystallizations,intopureclearDMT.Theslagcanalsobefurtherrefinedorsimplyredissolvedintothe
nextbatch.Thesolventcanbereusedorevaporateddown,withtheresiduescrapedandcleaned.Anddon'tforget
toscrubthosejarsandutensilswithsomeofyourfavoritesmokingherb.

Addendum
byNomanandEntropymancer
1)Ifprepowderedbarkisbeingused,1.5to2timesofthewatercalledforwillberequired.Prepowderedbark
requiresmorewaterbecausecommercialsupplierspulverizethefibrousbitsthatahomeblender(oracoffeebean
grinder)leavesintactthismaterialturnstoasludgeinthelyesolutionthatwon'treleasethenaphthaifit'sadded
whilethesolutionisstillsludgy.
2)Regardingthefreezeprecipitationprocess:Whenthetekwaswritten,commonlyavailableMimosatenuiflora(=
M.hostilis)rootbarkwasofmuchhigherqualitythanwhathasbeenavailablemorerecently.Duetothelower
qualitymaterial,thesedaysapartialevaporationissometimesnecessarytogetthesolutionconcentratedenough
toprecipitate.Usingabitlessnaphthaallowstheextractionstobeconcentratedenoughtofreezeprecipitatemore
reliably.(ItmayenduptakingoneortwomorepullstogetalltheDMT,buteasyfreezeprecipitationisagood
tradeoffforoneortwoextrapulls.)Byusingaround0.4mlofheatednaphthapergramofbark,everypullexcept
thelastonefreezeprecipitatedeasily.(Thiswaswithanacid/baseextractioninasepfunnel,butitshouldlikely
workjustaswellwithastraighttobaseextraction.)
3)Usingheatforthelastpullwillincreasetheyield.Thiswasleftoutoftheoriginaltekforthesakeofsimplicity,but
itisprobablyworthmentioning.[NOTE:Again,naphthaisflammable.Naphthabasedextractionscanbewarmedby
partiallysubmergingtheclosedextractionjarintoahotwaterbath.]
4)Getridoftheammoniawash.Forwhateverreason,itseemstocauseproblemsforatleasthalfthepeoplethat
useit.Changeittoawashofthenaphthawithaweakbasicsolution.[AccordingtoVovin'sTek:Dissolveapinchof
sodiumcarbonateinabout50mlordistilledwater,thenaddasmallamountofthissolution(approximatelyone
twelfthbyvolume)tothenaphtha,shakewell,thenallowthewatertoseparatefromthenaphthaanddiscardthe
water.Followingthis,washthenaphthatwomoretimesusingpure(nonbasified)distilledwater(againusingan
amountofapproximatelyonetwelfthbyvolume).Vovincautionstoavoidleavingthewaterinthenaphthafortoo
long,saying:"nosittingforhourslettingit'soak'youneedtogetitinandout."]

Notes
ThisisarevisedversionofatekpublishedunderthesamenameinTheEntheogenReview(seecitationabove).
AnerrorintheprintedERversionofthisarticlemadeitappearasthoughtherootbarkshouldbethricerunthrough
anewlye/watermixandthenextractedwithnaphtha.Thisisnotthecase.The*same*lye/water/rootbarkshould
beusedineachofthethreereprocessesingsonlynewnaphthaisaddedeachtime.DavidAardvark,The
EntheogenReview
Forsomeadditionaltipsrelatedtothisextractionprocess,see"KeepthatMimosaMud?"byJ.Cocktoasten.
AboutthisDocument
Forgeneralinformationaboutvariousteksused,seethe"DMTExtractionOverview"byEntropymancer.
Anadaptedspinoffversionofthisarticle,containingcolorphotographsisavailablehere.

RevisionHistory

v0.8Nov2006Initialversion
v1.0Dec2006PublishedinTheEntheogenReview
v1.1Jul6,2007ErowidRevisedversionpublished,editedbyzhahandErowid.
v1.2Mar17,2009ErowidAddedErowidNoteaboutexothermiclyewaterreaction.
v1.3Jan3,2010ErowidAddedAddendumbyNomanandEntropymanceraddedlinkstorelatedarticlesminoreditsbyErowid.

v1.4Jun26,2012ErowidDirectlyreferencedAddendumpointswithintextremovedlinktooutdatedprintablePDFaddedlinkto"DMTExtraction
Overview"fixedspellingofnaphthaandEntropymanceradditionalminoreditstoaddclarification.

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