Is most meth you find on the streets racemic or dextro or wha? I would ask over in BLTC but I don't think most of them would even know what an isomer is.

Is there any way to seperate optical isomers (or any other kind of isomer that would result in a potent and non-potent pair) from a racemic mixture without some special device?

Is dextro-amphetamine the same as amphetamine's S isomer? (I realize this wouldn't mean it's like that for all drugs)

Does every chemical have isomers (such as cocaine)? If not, what determines if a chemical has isomers or not?

Methamphetamine (and amphetamine) have only one chiral (handed) centre. This is basically which way the methyl (CH3) group next to the amine (NH) points.

The S (dextro) isomers of methamphetamine and amphetamine are the more active, but this is reversed in the case of some other amphetamine based compounds (Ie. MDMA, where the R (levo) isomer is more active. See Pihkal #109).

Street meth is usually either synthesised from racemic ephedrine in which case it racemic or less commonly diverted from medical sources in which case it will be d-methamphetamine.

The resolution of racemic amphetamine is possible, but rather involved.

Try: http://www.rhodium.ws/chemistry/amphetamine.resolution.html

And yes, all but the simplist chemicals have isomers.

Synth

Rockinin!

Thanks a lot.