Cannabis Extract Isomerization

[Northern Grower]

I was smoking a joint with some one a few weeks ago. We were chatting about extract's.
She told me that you can use different solvents to dissolve THC, that also will not dissolve chlorophyll.
Also said you can use salt water to wash out chlorophyll from certain solvents.

All this talk was with the idea of making the most pure THC extract one can make.

While digging up info on the subject I happened upon this.

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_chemistry2.shtml


Here is the basic idea of isomerization.

Overview and Theory
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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)

To save some people from reading it all. They use acetone or hexane as a solvent instead of alcohol. The reason is water effects acetone and hex less. That is important for not pulling chlorophyll out with the THC. The idea of this is to make your extract oil nearly 90% pure THC instead of the 20-40% that the best honey or cherry oil is. This procedure modifies the CDB component into delta9 THC. The more psychoactive component.

I plan on giving this isomerization a try.


Here are some questions I have for some one if they know.

Would battery acid work as a HCL substitute.

Good everyday use for acetone? Car body paint prep?


I will post the process as I go through it here, for you guys to see. If you know about it please post.. I would like to pick some one's brain on it.

 

[Northern Grower]

Also going to use this thread to gather suppliers of the supplies. So i don't loose them, and if anyone else needs them

HCL needed to PH the solvent THC mixture.
35% HydroCloricAcid. Not sure if they ship international.
http://www.petrocraft.ab.ca/product_details?gocart6=product_id=283

Acetone, solvent to dissolve THC from plant matter.
http://www.petrocraft.ab.ca/product_details?gocart6=product_id=182


Sort of shitty they only have the small bottles of acetone. I am sure i'll need more than that.

 

[Duck Commander]

Very interesting mind if i pull up a chair :dance: The only input i can give is good everyday use of acetone... Nail Polish remover,oil grease and grime remover you can even clean your hands with it There is a simular chem (im not sure if it would work the same) Trichloroethylene i used to use it at a company heat treatinf aircraft parts, it was use to take all grease, dirt and grime of components in a vapour form it was heated in a big container to create a vape cleaner :smokebuds:

 

[sniper]

acetone is used for all kinds of stuff paint thinner is a good everyday use :thumbs:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetone

 

[Northern Grower]

Jm pointed it out to me that it's not hydrochloric acid but sulphuric acid used to ph the solvent solution.

So wouldn't car battery acid work?

I was thinking about hitting an auto body supply store for the acetone. They have 2 litre jugs of it.

It's interesting that they talk about freezing the cannabis material. I do the same with isopropanol extraction.

Might get to this by the weekend.


I got to wondering can you change the delta9 to pure cbd's? You could have yourself a nice pure medicine.

 

[Northern Grower]

Here is a good book to read "Cannabis alchemy", there is a whole section on isomerization. Reading about this method, it is almost perfect for autos. You are converting the CBD's into the higher forms of thc. In theory using isomerization it doesn't matter what the quality of your starting material is.

Wonder if you could use hemp oil to isomerize into THC? hmmmmmm

Full Ebook

Cannabis Alchemy


I also found an answer to my question about the car battery acid. The acid will most likely contain lead, which can't be removed from the solvent mix. So car batt acid is a no go.

 

[Northern Grower]

Well since I am just sitting here watching iso distill. I thought id post pics of where I am at.

I have all the supplies I need except for the acid. You can get muriatic acid at the plumbing store which is a h2so4 substitute. Also hcl acid will work. You just want to use the strongest acid you can find.

I found the good ether. Diethyl ether woot. It's in the can of liquid fire. I will have to distill it from the heptane also in the can. The ether boils at 35c and the heptane at 98 so it'll be easy breezy. I could use the heptane but it boils too close to the iso so it'll be hard to get rid of.

I decided to extract the extract with iso first. Then ill wash that extract with the ether.

Anyhow here are pics of my still/reflux rig. Found a nice kit online when I get around to ordering it.

Here is how it works.

Cooking oil into the crock pot. The Pyrex bowl sits in the oil bath. You put your iso an boiling chips in. Turn the cooker lid upside down. Put ice on top to condense the evaporated solvent. To reflux you just seal it up. To distill you capture the distillate.