Isomerization???

[Mr T]

After some reading on the topic of Isomerization of Honey Oil - Budder, I'm curious about comments from anyone having personal experience with the below mentioned process or the end product?

Materials:
-xylene (found in paint/solvent areas of hardware stores)
-shake or buds
-p-toluenesulfonic (tosic) acid
-mason jar
-hot plate
-set of beakers
-distilled water
-separatory funnel
-paper filter
-hot plate or precision outdoor electric stove
-NaHCO3 (baking soda)
-pH test strips (from hot tub)
1. Dry, chill, and finely grind shake and put it in a mason jar.
2. Pour enough chilled xylene into the mason jar that the shake is covered by it or begins to float.
3. Shake for 5 minutes, let it sit overnight (you may shake periodically), and pour it through a filter. Collect shake from filter.
4. Shake for 5 minutes, let it sit overnight (you may shake periodically), and pour it through a filter into the same beaker with the liquid from step #3. Discard the shake or residue.
5. Boil off the xylene on the hot plate, making sure to stop as soon as honey oil begins to precipitate out or create long lasting bubbles. Allow to cool.
6. Add enough xylene to redissolve the precipitate.
7. Add <5% p-toluenosulphonic acid solution, drop by drop, until a pH of 2 is reached. Test this by observing the appearance of a pH test strip under a definite pH of 2-3.
8. Place solution on the hot plate and place a watch-glass over top of the beaker. Reflux for 3-10 hours. Breaking it into multiple sections may or may not cause problems. It can also allow for stirring without loss of acid upon removal of the watch-glass.
9. Remove beaker from hot plate and allow to cool.
10. Drop by drop, add <5% NaHCO3 until a pH of 7.2 or decidedly above that is reached.
11. Add 3vol distilled water and 1vol xylene. Agitate.
12. Transfer to separatory funnel, allow it to settle, and drain off the bottom layer.
13. Add 3vol distilled water, agitate, and repeat step 13.
14. Repeat step 14 once more for purity.
15. Pour solution through filter with activated carbon on top.
16. Distill this solution at about 140C-150C to yield a large amount of“ (--)-(6aR,10aR)-6,6,6-dimethyl-3-pentyl-6a,7,8,10a-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[c]chromen-1-ol ”.

-Dissolve in eucalyptus oil or sesame oil to dilute. Drops under Tounge.

Original thread and more reading at:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=29254&page=2&pp=15&highlight=budder

[smokinbasser]

I still have my ISO II isomerizor and first off I only use solvents that are safe for human consumption. I would be more prone to stick my dick in a running garbage disposal than use the solvents you have listed. Second , make sure you have paid up health insurance with double indemnity for 3rd degree burns.We grow organic to get the best results and then you want to use solvents that could be carcenogenic in nature( I have not researched them recently) to leech out the essential oils. I suggest you take another look at oil extraction over at treatingyourself. The only safe sovent for use on cannibis is grain alcohol not denatured but 99.8 pure alky sold in liquor stores as everclear. Another source is our friendly pharmacys. they carry pure alky and can sell one quart bottles w/o a scrip.
link to TYhttp://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=16 good luck and good health

[Parabola]

holy shit, that is why I like bubble hash...you stand very little chance of blowing your lips off.

[c-ray]

everclear is only 95% alcohol (190 proof)

[Green Supreme]

I think water is a good solvent too. Peace GS

[smokinbasser]

Correct Everclear is 190 proof 95%. My error considering I have a jug of it right now. My head shop just started stocking hash oil pipes and I snagged one immediately. I have close to 20 grams of oil from some sweettooth/northern lights trim and some popcorn buds. my oil determines when I'm hitting the sack, usually 20 minutes after heating the pipe up with a lighter.

[c-ray]

correct me if I am wrong but isn't isomerization only useful if the weed is higher in cbd?

[Mr T]

Dear smokingbasser, how does the ISO II isomerizor work? I've seen a picture of it from an old HT issue.

What I understood form the readings on the subject of isomerization, no matter what solvents are used in making the oil, be it everclear, butane, iso, whatever, the process involves adding an acid to the thc concentrate. The end product is claimed to be extremely potent since it changes the molecular structure of the thc from thc-6 to thc-9 or something like that. Please read the thread in icmag for the full chemical explanation these guys are providing.

Just curious!!!

[Mr T]

From the icmag thread:

I think a few people think that 'iso', is honey oil made from isopropyol alochol, made in a similar fashion to bho. soak it let it evaporate, smoke oil. BUT

Isomerization (forgive spelling), is an additional chemical step that converts the delta 9-thc, to delta 6-thc. activating a lot of the normally non-active cannibaloids, making the high more psycadellic. like sativas are more head high, and 'laughy', isomerizised oil is almost 99% pure thc, even shake becomes this strong. bho is about 70% thc, bubble hash from buds 30/50%, white russian 22%; obviously the difference between chemical extraction / enrichment of thc Vs. the thc content of trichome, origins of crystal, etc.

[c-ray]

hmm corrrect me if I am wrong but I think that raw cannabis has delta-6-thc and this is converted to delta-9-thc through a highly technical process sometimes known as smoking a bowl, hitting a vape or lighting a spliff

thc by itself can only get us whacked, to truly get high we need terpenoids

[smokinbasser]

Delta 8 rotates to delta 9 and yes this rotation is best done in a pipe or joint, it is a heat activation process. it is accomplished in the ISO in an air free atmosphere so it doesn't breakdown during the isomerization process, that way you get all delta 9 w/o having to do any rotation via smoking so the thc is higher. I have found for me that on higher quality herb a simple solvent extraction is all that is needed. The isomerization process works most efficiently on ditchweed to increase the thc and reduce the cbd, this process uses highly concentrated( reagent grade) sulfuric acid in miniscule quantitys, one drop per oz of raw material. The end product varies in color depending on how much of a water prewash is done. I have liberated some oil from a 1/4 lb of columbian red bud and the oil was a dark red, there was virtually no green material in the 1/4 so waterwash to remove chorophyll wan't needed.btw the chlorophyll is what darkens oil if it isn't rinsed out as much as possible.
The acid mentioned is neutralized by adding baking soda in ratios matching the acid strength, you end up with water and salt as the result.

[stopthemadness]

So, wait....

[stopthemadness]

Revolutionary! Actually, I did find this on Erowid:

"The threefold object of this procedure is to extract from the vegetative material of the cannabis plant a crude oil, to further purify this extract, and finally, to rotate the molecules into their most pharmacologically active form, the delta-9 isomer of THC. In the first step, the inert plant material that remains is calcined (alcohol burned away and ashes cooked over low heat) so that the Salt component of the plant is left behind. In the final step, an acid is used to perform the actual molecule rotation (isomerization), and the Salt (ashes) from the first step are added. This accomplishes two things: The acid remaining in the solution is neutralized, and the Salt is once more reunited with the Essence of the plant to produce a true alchemical Manifestation. Whatever your opinion of alchemy and belief, or lack thereof, in its validity as a scientific discipline, the process I offer here for your use is tried and true. If all safety precautions are taken and you invest patience and care in your efforts, the procedures are quite safe, and the results well worth the time and energy."

[Lrus007]

ISOMERIZATION
The oil produced by alcohol extraction and purification with petroleum ether contains tetrahydrocannabinol, two other compounds closely related to THC but non-psychoactive (cannabidiol and cannabinol), and several other compounds which contribute the taste and smell of the oil. The quality and quantity of the THC in the oil is determined by the quality and potency of the starting material. The oil from very strong cannabis material contains a much higher percentage of THC than the oil from marijuana or hashish that is less potent. The quality of the THC and the characteristics of the effect (high) are determined by the relative positions of the double bonding in the THC molecule. The higher-rotating forms are more potent than the low-rotating and produce a higher, more psychedelic and spiritual effect. Methods for converting THC from low-to-high-rotating follow.
The quantity of cannabidiol in the oil is important, as it may be converted to THC, thereby increasing the potency of the oil proportionally. Experience has indicated that the quantity of cannabidiol is usually at least equal to the quantity of THC. Because of this, the strength of the oil can be at least doubled through isomerization, and in some cases potency may be increased five to six times.
By using the correct chemicals and methods to convert the cannabidiol to THC, it is possible simultaneously to convert the THC (that which occurs naturally in the oil and also that which has been produced from cannabidiol) to higher-rotating forms. The highest benefit is obtained by starting with material high in cannabidiol, isomerizing the cannabidiol to THC, and converting the THC to its higher-rotating form. Both the potency of the oil and the quality of the high are greatly increased. The operation is carried out as follows:
The oil from the ether extraction is dissolved in absolute ethanol or pure methanol in the ratio of one gram of oil to ten grams of solvent. The ethanol may be denatured, but must not contain water. One drop of 100 per cent sulfuric acid is added to the alcohol/oil solution for each gram of oil. The acid is added slowly with continuous stirring. Pure sulfuric acid is very strong and will cause severe burns. Safety glasses, long rubber gloves, and clothing that covers as much of the body surface as possible are advised when working with it. Sulfuric acid burns are treated by immediate washing with water and bicarbonate of soda. The sulfuric acid is kept in a safety bottle made by permanently fitting a glass bottle with a screw top in a styrofoam-lined metal can.
A Pyrex pot containing the oil/alcohol/sulfuric acid solution is placed in the refluxing apparatus originally used for refluxing the material in alcohol. Pyrex is substituted for the stainless-steel pot because of the reactive nature of the sulfuric acid. The rig is placed in the boiling water bath and refluxed for two hours. At the end of this time, the stew pot is placed in an ice-water bath and opened. The solution is poured into an equal amount of water and extracted with petroleum ether, as was done in removing the ether soluble oil from the alcohol extract solution. The ether solution is then poured into four volumes of water and gently inverted twenty-five times, releasing the pressure each time. The layers are allowed to separate, the ether/oil layer is siphoned off and the water is discarded. The ether/oil solution is poured into four volumes of 5% bicarbonate of soda solution in water. It is mixed, then separated, and the ether/oil layer is siphoned off. The bicarbonate of soda solution is discarded and the previous step (washing with pure water) is repeated twice. The ether is evaporated from the ether/oil solution, as was done previously in the first purification, using the stew pot apparatus. The pure ether is collected in the pan held in the colander. The oil now contains a much higher percentage of THC (determined by the amount of cannabidiol originally present). The THC is of the high-rotating isomeric form, and all of the toxins have been removed from the oil.

there ya go
i also have a iso2 machine
it is pretty much a percolator
with a cooling tower

[battosai]

isomerization is great and all, but if im going through that trouble i want to go all out and make some thc acetate.

according to my book cannabis alchemy, thc acetate has twice the potency of delta 9, and is more spiritua and psychedelic than d9

it also has a 30 min delay before it hits you..

unfortunately its dangerous to make. u need to get a box with glove holes for making a nitrogen enriched atmosphere (no oxygen) and you'll need to get some acetic anhydride (the dangerous stuff) i think it also gives off dangerous fumes. u reflux the isomerized hash for 2 hours with acetic anhydride 3 to 1.

i guess u can get this chemical for developing film? if anyone really wants to make this or will actually make it i'll take pictures of the chapter and post it. better yet u can just get a copy for like 10$ off the web like i did. half of the book is isomerizing acetylating and how to ghetto rig it all from kitchen stuff (i've done the isomerization the methods using 99% isopropyl worked) and a bunch of variations. and the rest is stuff about isomerizing the thc with it still on the buds and making honey oil (through fractional distillation--my next project ) and high volume extraction and letters from people.

http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sspx0094hq0.jpg

[Cannafornia]

This is really interesting, and pardon my ignorance but it all sounds a little too "meth-labby" to me. I mean, I will probably try it but it introduces all kinds of danger into an otherwise 100% safe endeavor.

BTW are all the needed chemicals available to the public?

[gforce]

back in the day my friend swore by petroleum ether... he said it was very clean, very pure... the problem was, that after a bit the feds caught on to it and WATCH who buys it... you can get it in 55 gal barrels [don't know how much]... but it is not illegal to buy the stuff... but your name goes on a list... some of the excuses i have heard in the past for purchasing it are for cleaning auto parts... anyway, the point is that if you had a medical card you could buy as much as you need and if they want to know what you do with it... well thats up to you...

[smokinbasser]

This is one more reason to use readily available( in wet states or counties) grain alky as a solvent. AFAIK liquor stores don't notify the ATF when yu buy a bottle of everclear, or hit walmarts pharmacy for a quart of pharmaceutical grade alky. It seems like some have tendencies toward suicide or self immolation when trying to improve our smokeables. K.I.S.S. Sometimes the tried and true methods work best and are the safest. Those who still have their ISO IIs know this and have refined their processes to get the best results. You only have one pair of lungs and if you fuck them up your screwed.