Calcium morphenate
Calcium morphenate is a calcium salt of morphine which is produced by using calcium bases to raise the pH of an aqueous solution of opium alkaloids to around 9.0.{{Cite patent | country = US | number = 2062324 | title = Method of Extraction of Morphine and Related Derivatives }} This was a method used in pharmaceutical manufacturing to separate morphine from other alkaloids and inert materials from the opium solution. Variations on this route are still used in Afghanistan.{{Cite journal | url = https://www.unodc.org/pdf/research/Bulletin07/bulletin_on_narcotics_2007_Zerell.pdf | title = Documentation of a heroin manufacturing process in Afghanistan | author = U. Zerell, B. Ahrens and P. Gerz | journal = Bulletin on Narcotics | volume = LVII | issue = 1 and 2 | date = 2005 }} When poppy straw concentrate or opium latex is dissolved in hot water and the calcium base is added, calcium morphenate is formed. Treatment with a weak acid such as ammonium chloride then causes morphine freebase to precipitate, leaving codeine and other alkaloids of the plant in solution.
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