web space | free website | Business Hosting | Free Website Submission | shopping cart | php hosting

Kitchen GHB Synthesis

The following is a simple home method for producing solutions of KGHB or NaGHB.
Both are equally effective but I recommend KGHB, since most people have a sodium excess in their diet. For safety I recommend wearing gloves and safety glasses at all times. If any of the reagents or intermediates contacts the skin, wash well with cold water.

You will need :

132 grams of Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL)
91 grams of Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
  or 63 grams of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
Stainless Steel, Corningwear or Pyrex saucepan of at least 1 Qt capacity
High Temperature Thermometer (recommended but not essential)
Pyrex measuring cup of at least 2 cup capacity
pH test strips ( I recommend using Macherey-Nagel pHfix 7-14 strips, pH paper can give false readings)


 

1) Dissolve 91 grams KOH or 62 grams of NaOH in 200 ml [distilled] water. Use a Pyrex measuring cup of at least 2 cup capacity

2) Place 132 grams (120 ml)of GBL and 50 ml [distilled] water in a stainless steel, corningwear or pyrex glass saucepan of at least 1 Qt capacity. Do not use aluminum cookware

3) Heat to Approximately 100° C (212° F) - (If you don't have a thermometer heat until the water at the bottom boils be carful not to burn it)

4)Remove from heat

5) SLOWLY add the KOH/NaOH solution into the GBL while stirring, adding small amounts (approx. 1-2 tsp) at a time every 3-5 seconds . Do not add the GBL to the NaOH, it must be the other way around!

5a) After adding 90% periodically measure the pH, continuing to add NaOH/KOH until the pH is between 10.0 and 10.5

6) Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir 5 minutes.

7) Let it sit overnight (min 8 hours).

8) Measure the pH again. If you did everything correctly, you should now have a pH of between 8.0 and 9.5; So far I have gotten a pH in that range every time. However, if you made an error, it is correctable at this point:

8a) If the pH is above 10 add an acid (HCl, ascorbic acid, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) to lower the pH to between 7.5 and 9

8b) If the pH is below 7.5, repeat steps 3-8 using a little more NaOH.

9) Dilute to desired concentration using boiling water.

9a) For Gamma-OH™ concentration: dilute to a total Volume of 970 ml

9a) For Xyrem™ concentration: dilute to a total Volume of 390 ml

10) Store in a sterile glass bottle and keep refrigerated.

11) Neutralize the remaining NaOH or KOH solution with acid (HCl, ascorbic acid, vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) before disposing.

 


Return to the GHB Info page