Synthesizing Delta-10 THC: For Dummies

Delta 10-THC is about to hit hard and fast; so how is it we know so little about it? The truth is, we may have always known it was there. Because it has occurred in such small quantities, we haven’t paid that much attention to it. In fact, even the typical HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis would often confuse Δ10-THC for CBC or CBL. It wasn’t until recently Fusion Farms was able to purify the solid crystal enough to allow for further testing. What kind of testing exactly Obviously the standard HPLC was not going to cut it so they enlisted the help of Jonesing Labs LLC. They were able to begin the identification process by using 2D HPLC scans that show absorbance at multiple UV wavelengths. With this tool they were able to confirm the difference between Δ10 and the standard for CBC and CBL.

Cool, right? But they didn’t stop there. Next, they used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) which allowed them to look at the actual structure of a molecule. Coincidentally, the release of Delta 10-THC standard was in full motion. Due the previous information collected by the mass spectrometer, 2D HPLC and NMR Jonesing Labs were able to conclude that Fusion Farms had indeed isolated Delta 10- THC crystals. Now they only needed to replicate it.

Researchers performed several tests and discovered that when a number of food grade additives are added to Δ9-THC, it helps in converting into Delta 10-THC in small quantities. As with Delta 8-THC and Delta 9-THC, they essentially have the same molecule but the location of the double bond is how you differentiate them (same goes for Delta 10-THC). Jonesing Labs hypothesized that the addition of a food grade radical initiator could act as a catalyst helping migrate the Δ9 double bond to the position of the Delta 10 double bond. Food grade radical initiator? Yep. Benzoyl Peroxide is often a bleaching agent in flour. Under the right conditions and with the help of some other food grade components, the radicals stabilize for a functioning reaction.

And work it did. Although, of course, until Fusion Farms and Jonesing Labs have their patent pending approved, we won’t have all the details on the entire process. So how long can we expect to wait until Delta 10-THC products will be available on the market? Many companies are planning to begin their own manufacturing process in as little as 2 weeks. So hang tight; we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Delta 10.