Phenylacetone is an organic compound with the chemical formula C₆H₅CH₂COCH₃. It is a colorless oil that is soluble in organic solvents. This

substance Substance may refer to: * Matter, anything that has mass and takes up space Chemistry * Chemical substance, a material with a definite chemical composition * Drug substance ** Substance abuse, drug-related healthcare and social policy diagnosis ...

is used in the manufacture of

methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...

and

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from alpha- methylphenethylamine) is a strong central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. It is also commonly used ...

, where it is commonly known as P2P. Due to the illicit uses in clandestine chemistry, it was declared a schedule II controlled substance in the United States in 1980. In humans, phenylacetone occurs as a metabolite of

and

via FMO3-mediated

oxidative deamination Oxidative deamination is a form of deamination that generates α-keto acids and other oxidized products from amine-containing compounds, and occurs primarily in the liver. Oxidative deamination is stereospecific, meaning it contains different stere ...

Synthesis

One method of creating phenylacetone is via: :

phenylacetic acid Phenylacetic acid (PAA; conjugate base phenylacetate), also known by various synonyms, is an organic compound containing a phenyl functional group and a carboxylic acid functional group. It is a white solid with a strong honey-like odor. Endogen ...

(C₈H₈O₂) +

acetic anhydride Acetic anhydride, or ethanoic anhydride, is the chemical compound with the formula (CH3CO)2O. Commonly abbreviated Ac2O, it is the simplest isolable anhydride of a carboxylic acid and is widely used as a reagent in organic synthesis. It is a col ...

(C₄H₆O₃) + pyridine catalyst → phenylacetone (C₉H₁₀O) + carbon dioxide (CO₂) + water (H₂O) Sodium acetate has been used instead of pyridine. In the 20th century chloroacetone, benzene, and anhydrous aluminum chloride were used to synthesize phenylacetone.https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja01863a506 62, 6, 1622. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01863a506 The reaction included Friedel–Crafts alkylation.

Amphetamine metabolism

In popular culture

In the TV series ''

Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...

'', Walter White manufactures methamphetamine through an enantioselective variation of the P2P method, starting from phenylacetone.

Notes

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