Extracting DXM from Cough Syyrup
This is if you want to get almost pure DXM.
The Agent Lemon process is a newer and in all honesty a much better method for extracting DXM. It takes less time, doesn't involve playing with flammable and toxic fumes, and doesn't require sodium hydroxide. Here is the Agent Lemon method:
The Mission:
Extract DXM from cough syrups with materials and equipment that one could buy without any trouble at your nearest K-Mart, Wal-mart.
The Materials:
DXM-containing cough syrup. This process will probably produce a dangerous product if you use a syrup that contains any active ingredients other than DXM. Just use Robo Max. Cough.
Ordinary Household ammmonia (clear, not lemon or some other scent)
Lighter Fluid (I use a "Zippo". Make sure it evaporates with no residue.)
Citric Acid. Available as a canning supply at your neighborhood supermarket. You can use lemon juice, but it's not recomended.
Equipment:
Some containers.
Two large zipper-seal (Zip-Lock) plastic freezer bags.
What to do:
Prepare ahead of time a solution of the citric acid in water. For two bottles of syrup (8 oz each) use 3 tablespoons of citric acid in 8 fluid ounces of water.
Add ammonia to syrup. DXM converts from hydrobromide salt to freebase and precipitates out of water. Since it is now nonpolar it wants to go into a nonpolar solvent. Now you add a nonpolar solvent (lighter fluid) and shake hard. Free base goes into solution in solvent. Let solvent float to the top. Physically separate the layers. Now the DXM is in the nonpolar layer, mix that with the acid and shake well. The DXM converts back into the acid salt (since lemon juice has citric acid in it, we make DXM hydrocitrate). This is so beautiful because the DXM is practically pulled across the oil-water interface by the hydrogen ion gradient.
Now you throw out the oil layer, and the DXM is now acid salt in the lemon juice. Boil it for a few minutes in the microwave, stir it good, so any volatile solvent that remains will evaporate.
You are left with "Agent Lemon" or "DXemon Aid", a highly concentrated product, which is superior to cough syrup -- if you really wanted to, you could probably boil away the water -- with no danger, since the amount of solvent is almost nothing, and get a crystalline product that might be cut with anhydrous citric acid. I wouldn't suggest it, since it might irritate the stomach.
How to make:
1. Put cough syrup in 2 liter bottle.
2. Pour in a lot of ammonia. Excess is not a serious problem. The ammonia volume should be about equal to the syrup volume.
3. Shake.
4. Pour into a tightly sealable vessel. A funnel is good to have.
5. Add about a 1/2 inch thick layer of lighter fluid.
6. Shake the hell out of the vessel for about five minutes.
7. Pour the liquid back into 2 liter.
8. Let the organic solvent layer separate, it wil float on top of the water.
The way to separate the layers is with a separatory funnel, or the approximate version (a plastic bag). Pour the entire contents of the bottle into the sealable plastic bag, seal it, let the layers separate, clip off the bottom corner, and let the watery layer (on the bottom) drain out into the drain. Then let the organic layer drain into a jar.
9. If you want to minimize the amount of water-ammonia-cough syrup inactive
ingredients, add more water, let separate and separate again. If you want
you can do this as many times as it takes to get the ammonia taste out.
10. Now mix the solvent layer with the citric acid solution.
11. Transfer to a jar (like a Snapple or Nestea jar).
12. Really shake the hell out of it for 5 minutes.
13. It takes a few minutes to separate. Wait.
14. Or use a new plastic storage bag, and this time keep the water layer and discard the organic layer.
15. Boil the juice for a few minutes, the theory is that if a little bit of the organic solvent is there, it will boil away.
16. Drink the DXemon Aid. I have not deterimined the best method, I think you could mix it with something, or maybe drink it straight. It tastes really bitter (that's the DXM).