Acid-base DXM extraction

Please note that it is critical to understand that this process can only be used with syrups containing DXM only, or with Guaifenesin added as well, as the active medical ingredients. It will not remove Tylenol or any other drug, so they will end up in your finished product, and could hurt you, or worse. Ensure you check your labels.

Chemical Nomenclature

Common names

DXM, DMO, DM, Dex, Robitussin, Delsym, DexAlone, Duract

Substitutive name

Dextromethorphan

Systematic name

(4bS,8aR,9S)-3-Methoxy-11-methyl-6,7,8,8a,9,10-hexahydro-5H-9,4b-(epiminoethano)phenanthrene

Class Membership

Psychoactive class

Dissociative

Chemical class

Morphinan

Routes of Administration

WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section.

⇣ Oral
Dosage
Threshold	75 mg
Light	100 - 200 mg
Common	200 - 400 mg
Strong	400 - 700 mg
Heavy	700 mg +
Duration
Total	8 - 12 hours
Onset	30 - 120 minutes
Come up	60 - 120 minutes
Peak	3 - 6 hours
Offset	2 - 4 hours
After effects	4 - 24 hours

DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy.

Interactions

Disclaimer:

This guide is provided for informational and educational purposes only. We do not encourage you to break the law and cannot claim any responsibility for your actions.

Theory

In modern DXM containing cough syrups (Usually indicated by DM on bottle or box), DXM is mixed with a large amount of sugars and fillers, which make drinking syrup miserable and add undesirable effects to the trip. However, since the DXM in cough syrup is attached to a HBr molecule, we can use the Acid-Base method to separate the DXM from the undesirable bits. Firstly, we use ammonia to turn the DXM into freebase. We agitate the mixture, then immediately add our non-polar solvent Naphtha to the mix and agitate. Let settle. Since the DXM is now in the non-polar Naphtha, we titrate the bottom red layer away and keep the clear naphtha. Next we add our lemon juice to the naphtha, agitate, and let separate. This time, however, we keep the bottom layer- That's the lemon juice that just pulled our DXM out of the Naphtha by turning it into a salt. There we are, Agent Lemon. On average, 10% of your input DXM will be lost after finishing all of the extraction, so you may wish to adjust the amount of input you use.

Materials

DXM containing cough syrup. Cough syrup containing Dextromethorphan HBr ONLY is ideal. Syrups that also contain Guaifensin are acceptable. Do NOT use any syrups containing any other active ingredients, such as acetaminophen.
Ammonia (clear, unscented)
Naptha or Lighter Fluid
Citric Acid or Lemon Juice

Equipment

Gallon sized unpleated zipper-seal bags
Pan and stove
A large glass bottle or container

Safety

Use the correct cough syrup as using a cough syrup with active ingredients other than Dextromethorphan HBr is very dangerous.
Ammonia is flammable and irritating/caustic to the skin. It is caustic to the respiratory system if vapors are inhaled.
Naptha is a hazardous chemical with multiple safety concerns. It is extremely flammable. It is irritating to the eyes and skin. Vapors can be irritating to the respiratory system and in high concentrations can depress the CNS.
Do not use plastic containers with naptha (or, ideally, at all). Naptha can chemically attack and degrade many plastics.

Preparation

If using citric acid, prepare a solution in water ahead of time. For each bottle of tussin, use 1.5 tablespoons of citric acid in 4 ounces of water. If using lighter fluid, be sure it evaporates without residue.

Procedure

Add the cough syrup to the large glass bottle or sealable container.
Add in the same volume of ammonia (some excess is not a problem) and stir.
Tightly seal the container and shake vigorously for about 3 minutes.
Add in Naptha or lighter fluid, approximately 10% of the mixture in volume (a 1/2-1 inch layer) and shake for another 5 minutes.
Pour the liquid into a large gallon-sized zip lock container.
Let the mixture separate for 5-15 minutes. The resulting product should have two layers: the naptha layer (which the DXM is now bound to) on top and the ammonia-syrup layer on the bottom.
Cut a small hole in one corner of the zip-lock bag to drain. Dispose of the ammonia-syrup layer and collect the naptha/organic layer in a glass jar.
Optional: Adding 8 ounces of water to the organic naptha solution and allowing it to separate will minimize the amount of inactive ingredients (ammonia, cough syrup). Repeat this stage 1-3 times.
Now mix the solution with the pre-prepared citric acid solution or lemon juice. If using lemon juice, add an equal amount into the solvent layer.
Shake vigorously for at least 5 minutes.
Pour the solution into the gallon sized bag and allow it to separate, wait at least 45 minutes for the separation.
Now the citric acid/lemon juice layer is on the bottom with the naptha layer on top. Drain and collect the bottom layer and safely dispose of the top layer.
Boil the lemon juice for a few (5-10 minutes) to eliminate any left over organic solvents.
Allow to cool, this is your finished product.
Drink and enjoy!

Cough syrup in large sealable container
Ammonia added to the container with DXM
Transferred solution into a glass container and added Naptha
Added to a gallon zip-seal bag for separation
After separation. The top layer is the naptha layer, the bottom is waste ammonia and cough syrup.
The final product

The final product, concentrated DXM in lemon juice, is extremely bitter. It can help to add 8 ounces of water and a couple teaspoons of sugar to alleviate the taste.