Chemistry Question About Cocaine?

Question by Vilatimir Vonderbelt: Chemistry question about cocaine?
What difference in molecular structure makes cocaine more polar than crack cocaine?

a. Cocaine is the ionic form, crack the non-ionic form, of the same drug.

b. Cocaine is the non-ionic form, crack the ionic form, of the same drug.

c. Cocaine is the non-ionic form, crack the ionic form, of the same drug.

d. Crack has an added methyl group that cocaine does not.

Best answer:

Answer by m w
Crack cocaine is the freebase version of cocaine

cocaine has this group.
… …R2
… …|
R1 – N – R3…. freebase version…

if you protonate it.. you get this.
… …R2
… …|..+
R1 – N – R3
… …|
… …H

with that plus on the N.. and if you have Cl- present.. you get
… …R2
… …|..+
R1 – N – R3.. Cl-…. the hydrochloride salt of that group.
… …|
… …H

**********
clearly.. there is a difference between cocaine hydrochloride and crack cocaine. But.. both are forms of “cocaine”. so the question really isn’t valid.

If the question read.. “what is the difference between cocaine hydrochloride and crack cocaine” the answer would be A.

**********
it’s like asking the question.. “which has more mass. 1 L of water ice or 1 L of water”. Most people immediately say 1L of water. Assuming that water means liquid water. But water can exist in solid, liquid and gaseous phases. It doesn’t stop being water just because it’s frozen. so.. 1L of water ice IS 1 L of water..

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