Patent ID: 7705184

Claim:
A method for making amphetamine-related products of formula (I): where R 1 is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group, and R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl groups, lower alkoxy groups, lower alkyl groups substituted with 1 to 5 halogens, lower alkoxy groups substituted with 1 to 5 halogens, or both R 2 and R 3 , when on adjacent carbons, together constitute —O(CH 2 ) x O— where x is an integer of 1 to 4, thereby forming a ring structure fused with the phenyl group, the method comprising: dissolving a crude chlorinated phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride product of formula (II): where R 1 , R 2 and R 3 have the same meanings as identified above in connection with formula (I), in water to form an aqueous solution, contacting the aqueous solution with carbon, and hydrogenating the carbon-treated aqueous solution.