I’ll start from afar.
The idea of synthesizing THC had occupied NEKOZLYU’s mind since he was 14.
Ever since he saw a short article about cannabis with the formula for THC.
Without really understanding the chemical structure, NEKOZLYU realized that synthesizing such a large molecule all at once was difficult.
Therefore, it had to be created from two large pieces, “glued” together in a final reaction.
After some time, NEKOZLYU discovered this reaction in the literature (in one of Fizer’s papers) – the condensation of menthone ethyl ester with olivetol.
And then treating the resulting product with magnesium methyl bromide.
There’s a slight hitch here.
Olivetol is expensive (1 kg of olivetol costs around $1,000). Note: the price for small packages is SIGNIFICANTLY higher;
Olivetol is an exotic substance; naturally, it’s out of stock and only available upon request, etc.
That means a 2-3 month wait, shipping costs, etc.
Olivetol is essentially a dodgy substance, even though it’s not listed, but any organic chemist can guess where it’s coming from.
I can’t think of any other use for olivetol other than THC synthesis.
In principle, it’s possible to synthesize THC, but it’s relatively complex, with three stages.
So, when considering olivetol, NEKOZLYU thought it would be great to take resorcinol and attach an amyl group to it at the 3-position. 
But the laws of chemistry are inexorable; amyl groups only attach well to the 4-position.
And NEKOZLYU has long wondered if perhaps a THC analogue brewed from the resorcinol analogue of olivetol is also active?
And just yesterday, NON-KOZLYU discovered this on the internet:
http://nonkill.front.ru/nonletal1/text_nl1.../hypotensiv.htm
The starting materials for the synthesis were pulegone and olivetol (or its corresponding resorcinol analogue):
That is, the resorcinol analogue is active!!!
Its production is simple: resorcinol is sintered with amyl bromide in the presence of molten ZnCl2 or another Friedel-Crafts catalyst.
The yield is up to 70-80% 4-n-amylresorcinol. If you use AlCl3, you get isoamyl resorcinol, which is also suitable!
But there’s even more interesting news: 4-n-hexylresorcinol is produced industrially as an antiseptic and anthelmintic.
Although it’s already losing its medicinal value, it’s still listed in pharmaceutical copiés as an antiseptic, and it’s still produced in some places!
Furthermore, it’s listed in some companies’ price lists for around $300 per kg, and even in 50-gram packages.
So, for $15-20, it’s quite possible to become the owner of this wonderful antiseptic without burning it.
Next, what should we condense olivetol or 4-n-amylresorcinol with?
There are tons of options:
- pulegone
- citral
- verbenone
A digression…
Menthon is produced by oxidizing menthol with dichromate in an ice-cold medium (yield up to 90-95%).
Menthol is a high-volume chemical product and is available from almost every chemical company.
It’s also found in peppermint oil.
But there’s an easier way!
There’s a medicine called validol
It’s nothing more than a 25-30% solution of menthol in isovaleric acid menthol ester.
If you break down its base into an isopropyl tail (in the presence of hydrogen peroxide) and then
treat it with an alcoholic solution of potassium hydroxide, you get pulegone.
P.S. Thus, we obtained a THC analogue from two pharmaceutical preparations: hexylresorcinol and validol
Naturally, all of the above is nothing more than idle speculation…
