As most (or some) of you know – mexican meth is cooked using P2P synthesis, due to the fact that precursors for phenylacetone cook (phenyl-2-propanone) can be synthesized on site from substances that are cheaper and much easier to acquire nowadays than for example pseudoephedrine. Unfortunately -for the end user- P2P method produces a racemate product (racemate, or racemic, means it contains both isomers) which must then be cut with a substance like n-iso to be able to form big crystals like the end users want to see [for whatever reason]

Methamphetamine HCL exists as a racemic conglomerate, meaning each of the two enantiomers of meth (Dextro and Levo, or D and L) have a much greater affinity for molecules of the same enantiomeric configuration. which is why -to form big shards – racemic meth must be cut with an agent like n-isopropylbenzylamine, or n-iso, which is a structural isomer of methamphetamine, which means it has the same chemical formula as meth [C10H15N], but the atoms are in a different configuration. In this case the secondary methyl group (CH3) and tertiary amine (NH3) are swapped, creating an isopropyl group and a secondary amine. That’s more than you need to know really, but what’s important is n-iso is extremely similar structurally, and even more importantly it has no enantiomers

Enantiomers are a type of isomer known as a stereo-isomers. Stereoisomers are structurally identical, however they have atomic groups that branch off at an angle. If you were to look head on at a chain of carbon atoms, an N or Normal configuration molecule would have atomic groups sticking out from the top and bottom of that chain. Whereas a D or L stereoisomer would have atomic groups sticking out to the left or right, which is also why we call these configurations left or right handed configurations. The thing about stereoisomers is, they don’t stack very neatly, just like putting your right hand on top of your left, they aren’t superimposable. However, you can still make gloves that will fit either hand. N-ISO is the glove in this analogy, because it shares so much of the structure of both enantiomers of meth, it can kind of fill in the gaps that would be there without it. Which is why uncut racemic meth is a powder. It’s a ton of weakly bonded teeny tiny enantiomerically pure meth crystals, that couldn’t grow larger because they don’t fit together with half of the other molecules around them. This is also why n-iso cut meth crystals are so much easier to break than pure d-meth crystals, because n-iso can fill in some of the gaps between molecules, but not all of them, so you are going to have some areas with weaker bonds than others, making the crystal lattice weaker as a result

Of course all this shit could be avoided if only the cartel was separating isomers – using dextro tartaric acid (right handed isomer), therefore getting rid of levo, or left handed isomer, afterwards (just like bikers did). Then dextro (or d-meth) could be purified and crystalized WITHOUT cutting agents whatsoever. The problem is with the greed, as I assume, because this way 50% of the product would be wasted after each cook. Right now instead of throwing away 50% of the product they actually add another 50% of cutting agents, so instead of 50% weight they produce 150% in one go. And to be fair – who actually blames them, since people buy the product anyway? – If the product wouldn’t sell – they wouldn’t have no other choice but to makes things (and the product) right

And one last thing which is worth mentioning about stereoisomers – those also have a special property of polarizing light to whatever angle the branched atomic group has, in relation to the carbon chain. With a racemic mixture, i.e. 50:50 D and L isomers, this polarization is negated, because each set of isomers polarize light at the same angle in opposite directions, resulting in clear crystal formation. Enantiomerically pure crystals (those which contains only one isomer) appear cloudy because of the resultant polarization having only one of the stereoisomer creates