Crack cocaine synthesis
The primary active alkaloid in coca leaves is cocaine, along with other secondary metabolites such as cinnamoylcocaine and benzoylecgonine. Although traditional and modern extraction pathways follow similar logic, they differ significantly in equipment, purity, and process control.
Raw Material Preprocessing:
Disrupt plant cell walls to release alkaloid components
Reduce polyphenol oxidase activity to prevent discoloration from interfering with analysis
Traditional Method:
Drying: Air-dry in a cool place or oven-dry until moisture content ≤10%
Grinding: Coarsely grind to 60 mesh or finer
Alkalization: Add a weak base (e.g., sodium carbonate or lime) to neutralize acidic plant components
Soaking: Add a small amount of water, heat to 40–50°C, let stand for 30 minutes
Extraction of Active Alkaloids (Traditional Pathway): Common Solvents: Kerosene, gasoline, coal tar (historically used); modern methods favor organic solvents such as dichloromethane (DCM) or ethyl acetate (EtOAc)
Detailed Procedure: Organic Phase Extraction: Add an appropriate amount of organic solvent (e.g., DCM), stir or sonicate for 30–60 minutes Phase Separation: Separate the aqueous and organic layers, repeat 2–3 times to ensure complete extraction Acidification Reaction: Add the organic phase to dilute hydrochloric acid to form water-soluble cocaine salt Second Phase Separation: Retain the aqueous phase containing the salt, remove residual impurities from the organic phase Basification to Free Base: Add sodium hydroxide to convert the salt to freebase cocaine, maintain pH at 9–10 Final Extraction: Use a non-polar solvent (e.g., ether or hexane) to extract the freebase cocaine
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Modern Method: Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) Utilizes microwaves to rapidly heat moisture inside plant tissues, enhancing solvent penetration and diffusion to improve extraction efficiency.
Starting Material: 10g dried coca leaves Solvent Ratio: 1:10 (g:mL) Microwave Power: 500W Temperature Control: 60°C Time: 10–12 minutes Extraction Efficiency (crude product): 80–90%
[Experimental Procedure] Raw Material Preparation:
Dry 10g of coca leaves, grind to 60–80 mesh
Prepare 100mL of 50% ethanol–water solution
Use sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) or sodium hydroxide for pre-alkalization (pH 9–10)
1. Pre-Alkalization
Mix dry powder thoroughly with 1g Na₂CO₃
Add 10mL distilled water, mix well, let stand for 30 minutes
2. Solvent Addition Add 100mL of 50% ethanol–water mixture Let stand for 10 minutes to allow full penetration
3. Microwave Heating Transfer the mixture to a pressure-resistant microwave extraction container (or modified microwave oven) Set power: 500W Temperature: 60°C Time: 10 minutes (can be split into two 5-minute intervals with light agitation between)
4. Cooling & Filtration Cool the extract, filter using a Büchner funnel, retain the filtrate Extraction may be repeated once
5. Acidify Extract Adjust filtrate to pH 3 using dilute hydrochloric acid to form cocaine salt
6. Purification (Simplified Method) Wash the aqueous phase twice with ether or dichloromethane to remove impurities Adjust pH to 9–10 with 10% NaOH to precipitate the freebase Extract the freebase with a non-polar solvent (e.g., hexane or ether), concentrate to obtain the crude product
Crack cocaine synthesis
Introduction
Crack cocaine can be understood as smoking cocaine. This is only viable once the cocaine has been freebased. There are several methods to achieving cocaine freebase such as using heat and bi-carbonate of soda or using ammonia.
Ammonia method [1]
Equipment
-> Several large glass containers (ensure it is glass.)
-> Filter paper (coffee filter paper will suffice)
-> Plastic funnel
-> Glass eye dropper
-> Glass stirring rod
-> Ceramic plate
Ingredients
-> Cocaine
-> Water
-> 10% Ammonia (This concertation is common among household ammonia brands)
Method
Take 1 gram of cocaine, dissolve in glass container containing 40mls of water. If there are adulterants/cuts then they will likely not dissolve. Filter the 40mls of water through plastic funnel and filter paper to get rid of these if necessary. Once all product has dissolved add another 20mls water. 60ml water per 1g cocaine.
Now, pour 20ml ammonia to a 3rd separate glass container. Using glass eye dropper slowly add exactly 1ml. of the ammonia to the dissolved cocaine solution. Observe the "cloudy" white precipitate that forms. Stir for 2-3 minutes being careful to avoid touching the glassware with the stirring rod. Add another 1ml. and repeat process for roughly 5ml.s of ammonia. Observe the white sludge like substance that forms on the end of the rod, separate whole solution into fresh new container and keep repeating process (1ml>stir) until the sludge starts to take on a rock like form. This is your crack. You can separate any solid rock and place on ceramic plate. You have the option to leave it to air out/evaporate overnight or simply absorb moisture with paper towels to reduce ammonia consumption when smoked.
Notes
You can determine the purity of the original cocaine you possessed by weighing beforehand and then weighing the freebase afterwards
Baking Soda Method
Materials Required
1. Cocaine
2. teaspoon
3. measuring cup
4. pan
5. baking soda
Procedure
1. Pour about an 28 g of cocaine hydrochloride in the measuring cup.
2. Add a dry baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to pH = 8 (usually about 300 mg per 1 g of cocaine hydrochloride).
3. Fill with about 3/4 cup of water. A hot distilled water (70-80°С) is preferable. About 10 ml. water for 1 g powder. If it does not dissolve well (it happens in the presence of impurities), add 1 ml of water until it is completely dissolved.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan.
5. The mixture will start to bubble. Get a knife and flatten the bubbles.
6. Continue to flatten the mixture while cooking it.
7. Continue to cook it until it is solid white.
8. Place the solid form of cocaine on paper filter for coffee machine or napkin to drain it.
9. Place crack rocks in freezer for 15-20 minutes.
10. Congratulations, you have successfully made crack cocaine.