An Improved, Practical, and Scalable Five-Step Synthesis of Psilocybin
Synthesis – January 08, 2020
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Producing high-quality psilocybin for psychedelics and drug studies just became significantly easier. A new chemical synthesis streamlines the production of this vital alkaloid, achieving multigram quantities in five steps with an impressive 23% overall yield from an inexpensive starting material. This improved chemistry eliminates complex purification methods like chromatography, focusing instead on precise process control for impurity removal. Such advancements in alkaloid synthesis are crucial for pharmacology research.
Abstract
Described herein is an improved synthesis of 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-yl dihydrogen phosphate (psilocybin). The protocol outlines: synthesis of multigram quantities of psilocybin, identification of critical in-process parameters, and isolation of psilocybin without the use of chromatography, TLC, or aqueous workup. The synthesis furnishes psilocybin in five steps in 23% overall yield from an inexpensive acetoxyindole starting material. With specific focus on process control and impurity fate and removal, the improved procedure is amenable to providing high-quality psilocybin.