whats a good catalyst? copper chloride okay? anything more efficient? and what temp will this start/whats a good solvent

Theres a thread about this at sciencemadness
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=8051&page=1

I've always liked boiling in thujone for its ease of aqquisition, and ease of reaction with perfect temp control (boils at 201c, ideal is reflux with ketone catalyst @ ~200c, perfect)...

...but you're also going to have some problems. Namely, the fact that you're boiling a carcinogenic narcotic with a bitchin' comedown and capacity for lethal OD. So... it's kinda an "at own risk" sort of thing, 'n you'll have to make your own choices.

...but if you're good at dealing with fumes, it's kinda bitchin'ly self-handling. 'n easy to get, at that.

JoePedos godlike display of knowledge never ceases to amaze me. Can you elaborate a bit on that Joe. Are you saying boiling niacin in thujone will yield pyridine and carboxylic acid?

Can you elaborate a bit on that Joe. Are you saying boiling niacin in thujone will yield pyridine and carboxylic acid?

CO2, dear. Carboxylic acid is an entire chemical family.

...but, yes... the usual catalyst is "any ketone." Here (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TGX-4JKHP7X-1&_user=1080510&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000051355&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1080510&md5=7361b42bf4f2aa625b37f02aa44cadc4) is a charming article on a completely different subject which, well, pertains, as it involves trying to determine which ketone catalyst is used on the street by building a library of byproducts. Incidentally, they mention spearmint oil, which is probably just a tad safer. ;)

...but... yeah. If you can dispose of or control fumes that have all the health benefits of boiling benzene, meth, and fentanyl in different pots, it's great.... thujone just... keeps it at the right temperature by evaporation. You don't have to stick a thermometer in, the only monitoring you have to do is keeping it from running dry, and one can usually precipitate the catalyst-solvent from a shitload of common sources (sage from the spice rack, tansy, sagebrush, juniper, w/e) with relative ease... I think it has a finite solubility in common alcohols, for instance...

Or... add a dash of spearmint instead of a hint of sage. Or, hell... the link above gives a lot of other ketones... including MEK, whose boiling point might just demand a condensor and dripback... pick one and go. ;)

Oh yeah it was acetic acid I was thinking of but it woulda been AcOH missing the Me group.

This is ridiculously simple compared to the methods they were talking about on sciencemadness. How do you find out the ideal temperature for the decarboxylation to take place?

As for thujone if its boiling point is ideal for this kinda reaction then I don't see why not. A reflux condenser should take care of the fume problem.

What about furnacing with soda lime?

As for thujone if its boiling point is ideal for this kinda reaction then I don't see why not. A reflux condenser should take care of the fume problem.

Or a vaccuum cleaner ;)

Spearmint oil has a boiling point of 220C. Definitely a safer alternative to thujone.