Delta-8 THC is a popular cannabis product which offers slightly different benefits from its half brother delta-9. Though delta-8 is a product of delta-9 in nature, it’s also quite possible to source delta-8 THC from CBD. Read on to find out how its done.
Let’s be honest, you’re probably not going to set up a science experiment to make delta-8 THC at home from CBD. And that’s okay. Unless you’ve got a chemistry degree, or some incredible natural know-how, it’s just not a beginner’s activity. On the bright side, you don’t need to! Plenty of delta-8 products abound, as well as even newer offerings like THCV, delta-10, and THC-O-Acetate. We’ve got a bunch of great delta-8 THC deals, and way, way more. So take a look at our constantly expanding catalogue, and buy your finished product without worrying about a chemistry set.
First off, what is delta-8 THC?
Delta-8 THC is growing in popularity, but what it is, isn’t always understood. Delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9, meaning it shares the exact same chemical formula of: C₂₁H₃₀O₂, but with a different configuration of atoms. Delta-8 and delta-9 (and all other delta-THCs) are stereoisomers of each other, meaning they differ on nothing more than the placement of a double bond. For delta-9, the standard THC associated with marijuana, it’s on the 9th carbon atom in a chain, for delta-8, its on the 8th.
Delta-8 is a naturally occurring cannabinoid, which is produced in nature through the oxidation of delta-9 THC. When delta-9 comes into contact with oxygen, it loses electrons, thus creating delta-8, a more stable compound with a longer shelf life, since further oxidation is not an issue. Delta-8 only transforms from delta-9 at extremely low rates, meaning what occurs naturally is not in a high enough volume for any kind of product. In order for enough for actual use, it requires synthetization by humans, which we’ll get to soon.
The two isomers, delta-8 and delta-9, share many of the same medicinal characteristics, but differ in a few important ways, which can greatly affect both user experience, and user preference. Delta-9, for starters, is known to cause anxiety in many users. Delta-8 does not, meaning it’s a better treatment for anxiety, as well as not as likely an agent to produce it, in those not attempting to treat it. Delta-9 is also known for an intense high, cloudy head, and couch locking – when a person is so stoned they literally feel like they can’t move off the couch.
Delta-8 produces less psychoactive high, with studies pointing to about 2/3 the intensity of delta-9. It’s also said to produce a clear-headed high, leaving the user with more energy, and less feeling of being stuck to the couch. For these reasons, especially for medical patients who might not be looking for an extreme high, delta-8 could well be the optimal choice. This goes too for regular smokers who have a hard time dealing with the anxiety, cloudy head, and couch locking of delta-9.
Making delta-8 THC from CBD
Delta-8 THC converts naturally in small amounts from delta-9 THC, which doesn’t require any outside help. However, in order to get greater quantities of delta-8 THC, it can actually be converted from CBD. If this sounds kind of weird, that CBD could be used to produce a THC, its best to keep in mind that CBD also has the exact same chemical formula as the delta-THCs, meaning it is a natural isomer of both delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC. This means they’re already structurally very similar, so it’s not quite as shocking that one can be made from the other. There are a couple ways to do this.
In this first process, the thing to understand, is that this is very much a synthetization process, in which a chemical solvent is used, meaning it automatically comes with all the dangers associated with using such chemicals. The process goes something like this:
- One gram of CBD is dissolved in 10ml of .005 molar H2SO4 (conc. sulfuric acid), creating glacial acetic acid.
- After approximately three days, the CBD will have converted about 15% to delta-9 THC, 54% to delta-8, and 10% to a compound called delta-8-iso-THC. This leaves about 10% which remains unchanged.
- This solution is then put in water, along with sodium bicarbonate, which is added to raise the ph level above 7.
- The cannabinoids are then extracted from the solution using petrol ether.
- The cannabinoids are washed in water.
- After being washed, everything is heated to evaporate out the solvents.
The above-mentioned percentages of cannabinoids are what is gained after three days using this process, meaning over 50% of 1 gram of CBD can be turned into delta-8 in three days, along with some by products depending on how well the solvent is evaporated out. Different ratios of the different delta-THCs can be created, depending on the chemicals used for processing.
The other way of making delta-8 THC from CBD
Using harsh chemical solvents can be effective, but they also bring a level of danger, since they potentially expose users to poisonous elements. Luckily, delta-8 THC can be made from CBD in yet another way, which doesn’t use solvents. In this method:
- ½ gram of CBD is heated together with .09 grams of zinc chloride (anhydrous ZnCl2) at about 150º.
- The best way to do the above step, is in a vacuum, to avoid oxidation during the process.
- The mixture should be stirred during the process.
- After approximately 2-3 hours, 40-50% of the CBD will have converted into delta-9 and delta-8.
If you’ll notice, this method is much quicker, converting nearly the same amount, in a fraction of the time. However, it should also be noticed that its hard to tell how much CBD will convert to delta-8, and how much to delta-9. So, while it goes faster, it’s less precise.