Gummy extract

[cunningx]

Hey all,

I've been messing around with finding a fast/easy/effective CWE method, and am happy with my process so far, but still have some questions.

The method in its current form is roughly thus:
1. Run 25 Wal-Mart generic AC&C (325/15/8) through a cheap hand crank coffee grinder.
2. Add 35ml bottled water from fridge and stir until dissolved.
3. Wad a coffee filter into a ball and stuff it to the bottom of a 60ml hobby syringe, wet with cold water.
4. Add pill/water paste to the syringe, place the plunger and drive 'er home, squeeze hard and almost all of the liquid can be extracted. Catch the filtrate in a pyrex pan.
5. Place said pan on top rack of oven set to warm (approx. 65-70C measured with thermometer) until dry

This leaves a light brown residue which is presumably most of the codeine and caffeine, and hopefully very little aspirin.
What concerns me is that when this residue is collected it is not really a powder, it is more like the consistency of chewing gum that has been stuck under a table for a month. It is not sticky, just gummy.

Is this what would be expected from codeine/caffeine. I was expecting a dry powder...

Also, I know that codeine is sensitive to heat, but just how sensitive is it? Will 65-70C be causing decomposition?

Thanks in advance for any info

[borohydride]

Your working with 2 solubility curves here. As the solvent (water) gets colder, the solution becomes saturated and the less soluble material precipitates out. Codeine phosphate is REALLY soluble, even in very cold water, the aspirin gets vastly less soluble as it gets colder.

Try this:

-Dissolve pills in 250ml of boiling water.
-Allow to cool to room-temperature.
-Filter out solids (this removes binders and other excipients).
-Place in freezer.
-Wait until a tiny amount of surface ice forms (all of the water is now below 0C, it won't get colder until it's all frozen).
-Filter.

The logic is that impurities lower the freezing-point (it should reach around -4C) so your extending to the furthest point of the curve.

Frankly, if you can get ibuprofen and codeine then use that. Ibuprofen is profoundly insoluble in water at any temperature. You can just throw in boiling water, stir, let it settle & decant off the clear liquid.

[cunningx]

OK, as far as I know ibuprofen/caffeine/codeine is available OTC here, so will see about that.
I'll also try the hot water and double filtering process.

As far as drying on warm in the oven, I know that codeine is sensitive to heat so is it possible that the warmth is causing the codeine to become sticky like that, or is it likely leftover caffeine and asprin causing it?

[borohydride]

No - codeine wouldn't be much affected by 100°C for 30 minutes. OK, don't store it like that, but it won't break down much. It's the binders that are the problem - just use ibuprofen based tablets & you can clean in under 5 minutes. Maybe 17-18 years ago I used to extract 32x200mg iboprofen/12.8mg codeine tablets and it never took more than 5 minutes from opening the pack to drinking the codeine solution...

[LorTabitha]

cunningx, just curious... why do you want it in powder form?

[hydrophile]

I used to CWE vicodin all the time about 2-3 years ago and inwould split a bottle of 120 and drop em all in cold water filter the solution back in forth between cups/pans with coffe filters oer to filter. Then pour the solution in with a sprite and sip on your home made tussinex. Why do you need it dried just drink the solution?

P.s.

Jic this needs to be said. DONT SHOOT UP CODIENE IT CAN FUCKING KILL YOU!

[cunningx]

Lol, "Don't shoot codeine" definitely not needed here. I like being alive far too much.

To be honest the goo that I am ending up with works fine for my purposes, as I wrap it in a rolling paper and 'chute it... I just find the taste of the liquid to be quite repulsive.
I am mostly asking about these issues because I found it strange that I was getting a goo as opposed to a powder which is what I had expected.