video tutorial Hydrolysis of piracetam, a 'nootropic' drug

Name: video tutorial - Hydrolysis of piracetam, a 'nootropic' drug
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T09:03:44.259Z
Duration: 13 min 34 s
Description: But we'll maybe do this in a future video if we find a use for it.

Topic: transformation of pyracetam/biracetam tablets into a dicarboxylic amino acid via double amide hydrolysis.
Starting material: 12 tablets, 800 mg each (9.6 g total).
Preparation: crushed tablets dissolved in water, impurities/binders filtered; attempts to crystallize; solubility handled by heating.
Hydrolysis: potassium hydroxide (3 equivalents, 11.4 g) in water/ethanol; heated to promote hydrolysis of two amide groups; ammonia gas evolves as the acetamide is cleaved.
Workup: hydrolysis mixture converted to the free amino acid form by adding concentrated hydrochloric acid; pH carefully adjusted (target around 8) with sodium hydroxide to avoid forming a salt; solution reduced to drive off water.
Isolation: potassium chloride crystals formed on evaporation; product extracted with absolute ethanol; filtration to remove salts; ethanol evaporated to yield a solid.
Product: 6.3 g of an off-white, waxy solid; identified as a double amino acid with two carboxylic acid chains (one acetic, one butyric).
Yield: 60% of theoretical starting content; possible remaining product in solids for a second extraction.
Notes: tests for secondary amines planned for a future video; no stated medicinal effect information.
Background on pyracetam: nootropic drug; may increase awareness/concentration; used for cognitive problems including dementia; mechanism largely unknown; relates to GABA system (inhibitory neurotransmitter).