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A free base is defined as the protonated or salt form of a Lewis base molecule.
Answer: False
Explanation: A free base is defined as the neutral form of a molecule, specifically an amine or other Lewis base, not its protonated or salt form.
In chemistry, a Lewis base is characterized by its ability to accept an electron pair.
Answer: False
Explanation: A Lewis base is characterized by its ability to donate an electron pair, not accept one.
Hydroxylamine hydrochloride represents the neutral, free base form of hydroxylamine.
Answer: False
Explanation: Hydroxylamine hydrochloride represents the salt form (NH3OH+ Cl−), while the neutral, free base form of hydroxylamine is NH2OH.
The image caption "Lewis bases and acids" refers to a theory where bases accept electron pairs and acids donate them.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Lewis theory defines bases as electron-pair donors and acids as electron-pair acceptors.
The primary chemical characteristic defining a free base is its ionic nature.
Answer: False
Explanation: The primary characteristic defining a free base is its neutral, non-ionic nature, as opposed to its protonated or salt form.
According to the chemical definition provided, what is a "free base"?
Answer: The neutral form of an amine or other Lewis base.
Explanation: A free base is chemically defined as the neutral form of an amine or other Lewis base, contrasting with its protonated or salt state.
The caption "Lewis bases and acids" relates to a chemical theory where:
Answer: Bases donate electron pairs and acids accept electron pairs.
Explanation: The Lewis theory defines Lewis bases as substances capable of donating electron pairs and Lewis acids as substances capable of accepting electron pairs.
How does the colloquial understanding of "free-basing" differ from the pharmaceutical definition?
Answer: Pharmaceutical: neutral form; Colloquial: smoking process.
Explanation: The pharmaceutical definition refers to the neutral chemical form, while the colloquial understanding of "free-basing" pertains to the recreational process of smoking a drug's free base form.
The pharmaceutical industry uses the term "free base" to refer exclusively to the drug's salt form for enhanced stability.
Answer: False
Explanation: In the pharmaceutical industry, "free base" denotes the neutral chemical form of a substance, distinct from its salt forms, which may be preferred for stability or solubility.
Amine salts generally have lower water solubility compared to their corresponding free base forms.
Answer: False
Explanation: Amine salts generally exhibit greater water solubility compared to their corresponding free base forms.
The source indicates that certain alkaloids exhibit greater stability when in their ionic salt form compared to their neutral free base form.
Answer: True
Explanation: Some alkaloids may exhibit greater stability when in their ionic salt form compared to their neutral free base form, although salts often have higher water solubility.
Hydrochloric acid is the only acid used to form salts with amines.
Answer: False
Explanation: Various acids, including sulfuric, phosphoric, nitric, acetic, oxalic, citric, and tartaric acids, can be used to form salts with amines, not solely hydrochloric acid.
How does the pharmaceutical industry typically utilize the term "free base"?
Answer: To denote the neutral chemical form of a substance, distinct from its salts.
Explanation: In the pharmaceutical context, "free base" refers to the neutral chemical form of a substance, differentiating it from its salt forms which may be used for formulation purposes.
What is a primary difference in chemical properties between amine salts and their free base forms, according to the source?
Answer: Salts typically exhibit greater water solubility than free bases.
Explanation: A primary difference is that amine salts, such as hydrochlorides, typically exhibit greater water solubility compared to their corresponding free base forms.
What is a hydrochloride, in the context of amine salts?
Answer: A salt formed when an amine reacts with hydrochloric acid.
Explanation: A hydrochloride is specifically a salt formed when an amine undergoes an acid-base reaction with hydrochloric acid.
Which of the following is NOT listed as a common counterion used when forming amine salts?
Answer: Carbonate
Explanation: The provided list of common counterions for amine salts includes chloride, bromide, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, acetate, oxalate, citrate, and tartrate. Carbonate is not listed.
Cocaine hydrochloride is preferred for smoking due to its low melting point and volatility.
Answer: False
Explanation: Cocaine hydrochloride decomposes when subjected to the high temperatures of smoking and is therefore unsuitable for this method of administration; free base cocaine is preferred due to its volatility.
Free base cocaine can be vaporized and inhaled because it becomes volatile above 90°C.
Answer: True
Explanation: Free base cocaine has a relatively low melting point and becomes volatile above 90°C, allowing it to be vaporized and inhaled when smoked.
The freebasing process helps remove water-soluble adulterants like sugars from street cocaine.
Answer: True
Explanation: The process of freebasing serves as a purification method, effectively removing water-soluble adulterants such as sugars (e.g., lactose) commonly found in street cocaine.
Free base cocaine is significantly more soluble in water than cocaine hydrochloride.
Answer: False
Explanation: Cocaine hydrochloride is highly soluble in water, whereas free base cocaine exhibits very low solubility in water.
The preparation of free base cocaine involves dissolving the hydrochloride salt in an alkaline solution and then extracting it with a polar solvent.
Answer: False
Explanation: The preparation involves dissolving the hydrochloride salt in an alkaline solution and then extracting the resulting free base with a non-polar solvent, not a polar one.
Trituration is a method where cocaine hydrochloride is heated in water with a base to convert it into free base cocaine.
Answer: True
Explanation: Trituration is a technique involving the dissolution of cocaine hydrochloride in water with heat and the addition of a base, facilitating its conversion to the free base form.
Crack cocaine is the common name for the purified, crystalline form of free base cocaine produced through cooking or trituration.
Answer: True
Explanation: Crack cocaine is the widely recognized name for the solid, rock-like substance resulting from the purification and preparation of free base cocaine via methods such as cooking or trituration.
In the preparation of free base cocaine, an alkaline solution converts the cocaine hydrochloride into its free base form, which is then dissolved by a non-polar solvent.
Answer: True
Explanation: The process involves using an alkaline solution to convert cocaine hydrochloride to its free base, which is subsequently dissolved and separated using a non-polar solvent.
The process of "cooking" cocaine hydrochloride involves converting it into crack cocaine, a smokable form.
Answer: True
Explanation: The process commonly referred to as "cooking" cocaine hydrochloride transforms it into crack cocaine, a smokable form of free base cocaine.
Why is cocaine hydrochloride unsuitable for smoking?
Answer: It decomposes when subjected to the high temperatures of smoking.
Explanation: Cocaine hydrochloride decomposes upon exposure to the high temperatures involved in smoking, rendering it unsuitable for this administration route.
What property of free base cocaine makes it suitable for smoking?
Answer: It becomes volatile and can be vaporized at temperatures above 90°C.
Explanation: Free base cocaine becomes volatile and can be vaporized at temperatures above 90°C, a property that facilitates its administration via smoking.
Which of the following substances is often removed from street cocaine during the freebasing process?
Answer: Water-soluble sugars such as lactose
Explanation: The freebasing process helps purify cocaine by removing water-soluble adulterants, including sugars like lactose, sucrose, and glucose.
How does the water solubility of cocaine freebase compare to cocaine hydrochloride?
Answer: Free base is significantly less soluble than the hydrochloride.
Explanation: Cocaine hydrochloride is highly soluble in water (approx. 1 part in 0.5), whereas cocaine freebase exhibits very low water solubility (approx. 1 part in 600).
In the chemical extraction method for free base cocaine, what is the role of the non-polar solvent?
Answer: To dissolve and separate the free base cocaine from the aqueous layer.
Explanation: The non-polar solvent is used to dissolve the free base cocaine after it has been formed by the alkaline solution, allowing it to be separated from the aqueous layer.
What is the common name for the solid, rock-like substance produced when preparing free base cocaine through "cooking" or trituration?
Answer: Crack cocaine
Explanation: The solid, rock-like substance resulting from the preparation of free base cocaine through methods like cooking or trituration is commonly known as crack cocaine.
Which chemical process is described for preparing free base cocaine from its hydrochloride salt?
Answer: Reaction with a base and extraction using a non-polar solvent.
Explanation: The preparation involves reacting cocaine hydrochloride with a base to form the free base, which is then extracted using a non-polar solvent.
What is trituration in the context of preparing free base cocaine?
Answer: A process of dissolving cocaine hydrochloride in water with heat and base.
Explanation: Trituration, in this context, refers to a method where cocaine hydrochloride is heated in water with a base to convert it into free base cocaine.
Which of the following best describes the difference between free base cocaine and cocaine hydrochloride regarding smoking?
Answer: Free base is volatile; hydrochloride decomposes.
Explanation: Free base cocaine is volatile and can be vaporized for smoking, whereas cocaine hydrochloride decomposes at smoking temperatures and is unsuitable for this method.
The process of converting cocaine hydrochloride using an alkaline solution and a non-polar solvent yields a product that is:
Answer: The neutral free base form of cocaine.
Explanation: This chemical process converts cocaine hydrochloride into its neutral free base form.
The body's blood chemistry, specifically its buffering system, causes inhaled free-base amines to remain in their neutral form.
Answer: False
Explanation: The blood's natural buffering system, operating at physiological pH, causes inhaled free-base amines to revert to their protonated, or acid, form.
At physiological pH (7.4), approximately 94.19% of cocaine exists in its protonated (acid) form.
Answer: True
Explanation: Based on a pKa of 8.61 for cocaine and a physiological blood pH of 7.4, calculations indicate that approximately 94.19% of cocaine exists in its protonated (acid) form.
Le Chatelier's principle suggests that the removal of free-base cocaine from the brain causes the equilibrium to shift towards forming *more* free base.
Answer: True
Explanation: Le Chatelier's principle explains that the continuous utilization or removal of free-base cocaine from the brain shifts the equilibrium, prompting the protonated (acid) form in the blood to convert back into the free base, thus maintaining its presence.
How does the body's blood chemistry affect the form of inhaled free-base amines?
Answer: It converts them back into their protonated, or acid, form.
Explanation: Upon entering the bloodstream, inhaled free-base amines are rapidly converted back into their protonated, or acid, form due to the body's physiological buffering system.
Based on the provided pKa for cocaine (8.61) and physiological pH (7.4), what is the approximate state of cocaine in the blood?
Answer: Almost entirely in its acid (protonated) form.
Explanation: Given that the physiological blood pH (7.4) is below cocaine's pKa (8.61), the substance predominantly exists in its protonated, or acid, form in the blood.
Le Chatelier's principle explains the sustained presence of free-base cocaine in the brain by describing how:
Answer: Utilization or removal of the free base form shifts the equilibrium, causing more acid form to convert.
Explanation: Le Chatelier's principle explains that the continuous utilization or removal of free-base cocaine from the brain shifts the equilibrium, prompting the protonated (acid) form in the blood to convert back into the free base, thus maintaining its presence.
What is the primary reason the acid (protonated) form of cocaine predominates in the blood?
Answer: The blood pH is lower than cocaine's pKa.
Explanation: The physiological blood pH (7.4) is lower than cocaine's pKa (8.61), which dictates that the substance will predominantly exist in its protonated, or acid, form.
What chemical principle explains why the brain can maintain a supply of free-base cocaine even after it enters the bloodstream in that form?
Answer: Le Chatelier's principle
Explanation: Le Chatelier's principle explains the sustained presence of free-base cocaine in the brain by describing how its utilization shifts equilibrium, causing more of the protonated form to convert to the free base.
Colloquially, "free-basing" refers to the process of converting a drug into its neutral form for recreational smoking.
Answer: True
Explanation: The colloquial term "free-basing" specifically denotes the process of converting a drug's salt form into its neutral free base form, typically for the purpose of recreational smoking.
The practice of smoking cocaine base first appeared in the United States around 1975.
Answer: False
Explanation: The practice of smoking cocaine base first emerged in the United States in 1974.
Upon its emergence in the US, the smoking of cocaine base was initially most prevalent in New York.
Answer: False
Explanation: Initially, the smoking of cocaine base was most prevalent in California upon its appearance in the United States.
In 1975, the first recorded hospital admission related to free-basing coincided with the commercial availability of related accessories.
Answer: True
Explanation: The year 1975 marked the first recorded hospital admission associated with free-basing, occurring concurrently with the commercial availability of extraction kits and smoking accessories.
Between 1979 and 1982, the percentage of cocaine-related hospital admissions involving free base use decreased from 7% to 1%.
Answer: False
Explanation: Between 1979 and 1982, the percentage of cocaine-related hospital admissions involving free base use increased, rising from 1% to 7%.
Traditional consumption of coca leaves in South America involves chewing them with an acidic substance.
Answer: False
Explanation: Traditional consumption of coca leaves in South America involves chewing them with an alkaline substance, such as llipta.
Coca paste, known as basuco, is a substance used in South America that is frequently confused with cocaine freebase.
Answer: True
Explanation: Coca paste, also known as basuco, is an inexpensive substance used in South America and is often confused with cocaine freebase in North America.
Chewing betel nuts involves adding an alkaline substance to convert arecoline into its freebase form for better absorption.
Answer: True
Explanation: When betel nuts are chewed, an alkaline substance like limestone is typically added, which converts the active compound arecoline into its freebase form, enhancing absorption.
When did the practice of smoking cocaine base first emerge in the United States?
Answer: 1974
Explanation: The practice of smoking cocaine base first emerged in the United States in the year 1974.
Which U.S. state was initially the primary location for the prevalence of cocaine base smoking upon its appearance?
Answer: California
Explanation: Upon its emergence in the United States, the smoking of cocaine base was initially most prevalent in California.
What significant event related to free-basing occurred in 1975?
Answer: The first recorded hospital admission related to free-basing occurred.
Explanation: The year 1975 saw the first recorded hospital admission related to free-basing, coinciding with the commercial availability of related accessories.
How did hospital admissions related to free base cocaine use change between 1979 and 1982?
Answer: They increased, with the percentage rising from 1% to 7%.
Explanation: Between 1979 and 1982, hospital admissions related to free base cocaine use increased significantly, with the percentage rising from 1% to 7%.
What alkaline substance is traditionally used when chewing coca leaves in South America?
Answer: Llipta
Explanation: Traditionally, coca leaves are chewed in South America with an alkaline substance known as 'llipta,' often derived from plant ashes or shells.
How does the addition of limestone enhance the effect when chewing betel nuts?
Answer: It converts arecoline into its freebase form, aiding absorption.
Explanation: Adding limestone, an alkaline substance, converts the arecoline in betel nuts into its freebase form, which enhances its absorption through sublingual tissues.
What is "coca paste" (basuco)?
Answer: An inexpensive substance used in South America, often confused with cocaine freebase.
Explanation: Coca paste, also known as basuco, is an inexpensive substance widely used in South America and is frequently mistaken for cocaine freebase.