https://wiki.dmt-nexus.m...lkaloid_Extraction_Guide

I used this tek to extract some alks from some caapi vine, not very much vine though. However, upon cleaning up the alks, and getting most of the water out, the alks were then dumped out onto a pyrex dish to let dry. Two days later they are still not dry...so my question is this.

Once the alks have been effectively cleaned using the steps in this tek, could they then be changed to a salt form, and extracted from the water layer using another organic solvent, and then evap that solvent?

Or, do the same thing to extract from the water layer into another solvent, and then salt out from that solvent and let it settle. Then use something to get most of the water out, like a turkey baster, and then dump the rest of the alks/solvent mix into a dish and let that further evap. I imagine this would be dry much much quicker then when it was in water.

Anyone have experience with this?

First, salts are much more soluble in water than the freebase, so you would not want to convert to salt if you plan on pulling with an organic solvent.

I also think you're making this way too complicated. Harmalas have melting points well above 300 degrees f. You could gently heat the pyrex dish in an oven at somewhere around 250 degrees f and cause no harm to the compound. It will still take some time to dry, but you will have your product more quickly with little fuss.

I did not know that step in the oven can be done, and that would seem effective.

I was talking of leaving them in a salt form for extracting from the water. If I were to go this way, what solvents can be used for this? I am just curious at this point, as I do not mind having to do extra steps.

In salt form, you will not be able to remove the harmala from the aqueous solution using naptha. If you want to remove the harmala from the water, the solution needs to be basic (like you have it now), so the alkaloid falls out, and then mix with the organic solvent for a 'pull'.

I still think all that effort is unnecessary. Why the interest in having the harmala in salt form?

No interest really, I just thought that it would work better if it was suspended in the water solution compared to crashed out. I am not very knowledged in chemistry, trying to get there though.

But if I were to just extract from a bunch of vine, get as much water out as possible, and place the basified water/alks in the oven at 250 F, that will evap the water and leave me with nearly dry, usable harmala alkaloids?

It's best to follow the directions in the wiki you sighted in your OP. The only modification I am proposing, if you need the product quickly, is to bake in the oven at 250f as the last step.

Please be sure you have removed the NaOH from the solution before baking (the dilution described near the end of the procedure)! I don't want you to produce corrosive fumes, or create a product that will burn your insides. The baking is only the final step and is an aide to drying.

I did follow everything in the tek, including the washing steps. I would never put anything into my oven that could possibly let out harmful fumes. I myself had an idea that having NaOH still in there would cause issues, so I made sure to bring it all back down to a neutral or pH of 6. Only then would I put it into the oven.