[joon]

So I would like try and do this synthesis because I kind of like the idea of creating a neurotransmitter from pretty widely available supplement. I of course know that there wouldn't really be a use for that serotonin, but I kinda just want to do this, because it seems interesting.
I don't how hard this synthesis will be, it is an decarboxylation, it kinda seems not to extremely hard but at the same time I feel like it will be very hard, especially for me, who does not have a lot of practical experience with organic chemistry.

As far as I understand, a decarboxylation kind of needs heat, but just throwing some 5-HTP in a microwave and calling it a day would most likely not succeed.
My current idea disolve 5-HTP into acetophenone, which will act as solvent and as a catalyst at the same time, because as far as I know ketones would catalyse this kind of reaction. After refluxing it for some time, I would distill of the acetophenone. After distillation I would disolve the serotonin, which should have formed while refluxing the acetophenone - 5-HTP solution, with weak hydrochloric acid. After it's disolved in the hydrochlorid I would freebase it again with a strong sodiumhydroxid solution. Then I would disolve the freebase into some acetone and then try to crystalize the serotonin. While refluxing I will have to monitor the CO₂ production somehow, because CO₂ forms in decarboxylations, and if the production of CO₂ stops the reaction should be done.

That is my current idea, but I am kind of doubting this would work for some reasons:
1. I don't know the temperature at which serotonin degrades, I couldn't find it. So I might have the problem, that my serotonin is destroyed while distilling the acetophenone of, because the boiling point of acetophenone is 202°C
2. I've adapted this from researching how to do a tryptophan decarboxylation, because I couldn't find that for 5-HTP decarboxylation and Tryptophan and 5-HTP are quite similar, with the difference being a hydroxyl group. And for the tryptophan decarboxylation, I've read that there might be a problem with aqueous HCl destroying the product. I don't know if that is a thing, and if it is a thing if it would be on a scale I would care much about, because I am not ingesting it or anything, I would maybe just try and melt it to see if it has a melting point close enough to pure serotonin.
3. As I've stated above, I am not that experienced with organic chemistry, even though I am interested in it. I have a feeling this might just be above my level and that I am overestimating myself. I would probably try it anyway though, because I am not really expect success on first try anyway and I would like to try.

I would apreciate if you know the thermal degradation point of serotonin, on the hydrochloric acid thing, or any thought on this in generell.

[Babcock_Hall]

Under conditions needed to hydrolyze a peptide bond (6 M HCl, 110 °C), tryptophan is decomposed.  I am not sure of the exact conditions where this decomposition becomes insignificant.