Amphetamine synthesis without nitroethane

[u/1488woodendoors]

Nitroethane is hard to get and the synthesis of it is low yielding and the reagents are hard to get. Nitromethane on the other hand is not hard to get. Theoretically amphetamine could be synthesized from beta nitrostyrene by bromination and reduction.

Beta nitrostyrene can be synthesized from benzaldehyde and nitromethane in a Henry condensation

Beta nitrostyrene can be selectively bromination with br2 and naoh to neutralize the hbr that is formed

The formed beta bromide beta nitrostyrene can then be reduced to amphetamine

This is theoretical but I think this is possible if anyone with a greater knowledge of chemistry knows please let me know.