so, how it was done:
-p. brach seeds were grown in potting mix with coir and 100 mL 10 mM tryptamine hcl solution
added.
-dried grass was sonicated for 5 mins in 45 mL household vinegar (pH ~ 2.6),
-the slurry was frozen, thawed, sonicated again.
-Vac filtration, and the acidic aqueous phase was saved. this was basified with 6 N NaOH up to a pH of 12.56.
-added approx 10 mL methylene chloride (Me2Cl2) to the basic phase, inverting the sep funnel several times
-poured off the Me2Cl2 in an 8 oz jam jar and evap'ed at RT.
(notes: simmering the plant material slurry for an hour or more would work as effectively as sonication. heating up the acidic phase will catalyze [hydro]lysis on the plant cell walls. warm naptha may be subbed for Me2Cl2, do at least 3 pulls.)
after transferring a bit into a microcentrifuge tube with a toothpick, swim would estimate around 10 mg is on the bottom of a jar. he wanted to demonstrate that this is an alk-rich alternative to traditional sources.