ALD-52 is a Lysergamide discovered by Albert Hofmann in his study of LSD analogs. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s hippie counterculture did ALD-52 become popular. However, the substance they called “Orange Sunshine,” was not actually ALD-52.
ALD-52 stands for 1-Acetyl-N, N-diethyllysergamide, a derivative of Lysergic Acid. It is a research chemical, and therefore we do not recommend this substance for human consumption.
What are Research Chemicals?
Typically, research chemicals refer to a category of compounds ranging from Tryptamines to Lysergamides.
Research chemicals are not for human consumption. When asking what ALD-52 is, please keep in mind that this article is for educational purposes only.
Outside of institutional research, people conduct ALD-52 research as a hobby. We can make a comparison to star gazing.
Why would someone spend time star gazing? You can’t visit the stars. The likelihood of discovering a new planet or something else is virtually nil. And recording changes in the night sky doesn’t have any bearing on your everyday reality (unless you’re really into astrology).
But for many people, busting out the telescope and tracking the night sky is a fun, passionate hobby. It gives them a sense of place and purpose. They may like doing the math that’s involved with amateur astronomy.
For example, an amateur astronomer may use spectroscopy to determine the contents of a particular star. Now, they could Google this information, but where’s the fun in that?
In the same way, research chemicals give us insight into the molecular structure of interesting compounds. Just as an amateur astronomer doesn’t plan to visit or communicate with these distant stars, researchers don’t consume their research chemicals.
What is a Lysergamide?
Lysergamides are a category of substances made from Lysergic Acid. Lysergic Acid comes from the alkaline hydrolysis of ergotamine. (Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where a water molecule breaks one or more chemical bonds).
In other words, Lysergamides are any amide of Lysergic Acid. And Lysergic Acid is a precursor for a range of ergoline alkaloids that are produced by the ergot fungus. (Or by the seeds of certain plants, like Convolvulaceae, also known as morning glories).
What is ALD-52 – ALD 52 explained
A molecule of the Lysergamide class, ALD-52’s structure is similar to that of LSD.
On a molecular level, ALD-52 has four rings, a bicyclic hexahydroindole attached to a bicyclic quinoline group. In chemistry, a bicyclic molecule is a molecule that features two joined rings.
At its core, ALD-52 is an ergoline derivative and, therefore, has integrated tryptamine and phenethylamine structures. It also contains an N, N-diethylcarboxamide functional group. It is substituted at carbon 6 with a methyl group.
Instead of the acetyl group bound to CH3CO, ALD-52 is homologous to 1P-LSD because it contains a propionyl group attached to CH3CO.
In other words, the only difference between ALD-52 and 1P-LSD is the presence of an acetyl group instead of a propionyl group. Otherwise, they are nearly identical in molecular structure.
Unfortunately, despite how long ALD-52 has been around, more research needs to be done. That said, its safety profile is similar to other Lysergamides. You’ll want to wear gloves while handling the substance.
Orange Sunshine vs. ALD-52
In the 1960s, when the youth counterculture was consuming Lysergamides, a particular substance known as “Orange Sunshine” made the rounds. People believed that Orange Sunshine and ALD-52 were the same substance for a while.
However, this belief stems from an ill-thought-out legal defence. As mentioned, Orange Sunshine was famous in the late 1960s, especially in California.
Orange Sunshine was the product of Tim Scully and Nick Sand. Police raided and shut down the chemistry lab, arresting and charging Scully.
Scully’s arrest resulted in the US’ first LSD analogue trial. Scully said he and his partner did nothing illegal because they were producing ALD-52, which at the time, was not prohibited.
Scully was convicted and served time. Sands later admitted that Orange Sunshine was LSD dosed at 300 µg per blotter tab. Saying it was ALD-52 was a legal defence that didn’t pan out, but the rumour stuck.
Is ALD-52 Legal?
Is ALD-52 legal where you are? Some countries don’t specifically ban ALD-52, but they do ban Lysergamides and its analogs. Like in the United States Federal Analogue Act.
However, some countries, like Canada or Denmark, don’t have a Lysergamide analog ban nor mention ALD-52 as an illegal substance.
But in places like the United Kingdom, for example, ALD-52 is named explicitly as a banned substance. In Germany, its prohibition falls under the New Psychoactive Substances Act.
Where Can I Find ALD-52?
Here at Realchems, we sell ALD-52 in blotters. A blotter is a small piece of absorbent paper that has been soaked in a liquid research chemical, like ALD-52.
When conducting research, you don’t want to get ALD-52 accidentally on your skin. For this reason, blotters are often considered the safer option. Some also find blotters easier to store than dropper bottles.
