Haber's doctoral thesis "Uber einige Derivate des Piperonals" ['about a few piperonal derivatives'] for Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Berlin, described related syntheses, but does not include MDMA. Although this was a small controversy in the early 2000's, you can read our more recent understanding of this issue in Ask Erowid.

Merck synthesized MDMA as a precursor during their investigation into haemostatic substances (not as an appetite suppressant as has been rumored). It is believed that Merck never went on to use MDMA for any purpose.

After World War I, Merck's US unit was confiscated. The company most people know today as Merck is no longer affiliated with Merck (KGaA) of Germany. However at the time of the original MDMA patent, Merck was a single company.

Erowid does not currently have clear documentation about when the first recreational use of MDMA occurred. Although some references indicate pre-1970, we do not have clear evidence of that. Nick Sand tells stories of pre-1970 use of MDA, but we do not have clear documentation of MDMA *use* prior to the mid 1970s.

In a study of the spectral properties of several substituted amphetamine analogs, the properties of an unknown sample seized from an "apparent drug abuser "were recorded. The evidence indicated that this material was MDMA. As this report was initially presented to a group of crime laboratory chemists in August, 1970, this is currently the earliest documentation of recreational usage of MDMA.

The exhibit was provided by the Chicago Police Department Crime Laboratory, suggesting it was seized in the Chicago area. The BNDD refers to it as "Methylenedioxymethamphetamine hydrochloride" where "the methylenedioxy linkage appears to be in the 3,4-positions". The BNDD's second encounter with MDMA is noted in a later issue of Microgram, also from a seizure in Illinois.

Erowid had this date set to 1968 based on page 66+ of PIHKAL, but later analysis by Jon Hanna of PIHKAL and Alexander Shulgin's lab books found that the year was much more likely to be 1976. In September 1976, Sasha recorded first taking 16mg of MDMA on Sep 8 1976 and then stepping up doses, reporting first effects from 81mg taken on Sep 27 1976.

In the same lab book (see Pharmacology Notebook 1 Sasha mentions an approximately 1975 report from Marty describing considerable amphetamine-like content, and then mentions a report from approximately May 30 1976 by C. Burke and 2 other people [...] one is Gordon, who all took 100 mg. In the report, Sasha notes that he has been given little detail, but he makes the comment: Emotional experience and basically good reaction by all three.; the similarity of description in the PIHKAL text and the lab book text, along with the approximated date and unknown/unsure names for two of the three people (suggesting that he wasn't himself with them when they took the MDMA), and the fact that the dose in both descriptions was 100 mg for each of the three people strongly suggests that *this* report from 1976 was what sparked Sasha's interest in trying MDMA himself, and that it is this report that he described in PIHKAL.

A second compound to be described in this presentation is the N-methyl homolog of a well studied
psychotomimetic, 3,4-methyleneioxyphenylisopropylamine (MDA, 5). As with MDA,
MDMA (chemically properly N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyphenylisopropylamine or 1-(3 ,4-
methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-(methylamino)-propane) has the aromatic substitution pattern of the
essential oil safrole (6) from which it was first synthesized in 1960 (Ref. 8). The only
toxicological and behavioral report involving this compound was an Army Chemical Center study
performed in the 1950’s, declassified in 1967, and published in 1973 (Ref. 9). There are no
reports concerning its psychopharmacological action in man, although the compound has had
occasional and erratic appearance in the illicit Street drug market (Ref. 10). For this reason, if for
no other, it falls under the purview of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, and a brief
description of the pharmacological properties of this compound in man would seem appropriate.

Held at Esalen in Big Sur, CA, this event was produced by Earth Metabolic Design (Rick Doblin's pre-MAPS organization) and ARUPA (??) (the Association for the Responsible Use of Psychedelic Agents). Participants included George Greer, Stan Grof, Claudio Naranjo, Phillip Wolfson, Richard Yensen, and others.

Held in Oakland, CA, and sponsored by the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic and the Institute for Addiction Studies, this conference featured James Bakalar, George Greer, Debbie Harlow, Dave Nichols, Phillip Wolfson, and others.

At least 4 deaths during summer 2000 in Denmark due to white Mitsubishi pills. Police confiscate 700 PMA containing tablets. 17 year old girl dies in Norway, after have taken "Mitsubishi" pill, containing PMA. 17 year old man dies in Austria after ingesting PMA tablet. At least 4 people are reported to have died from PMA tablets in Belgium.
3 PMA deaths in Chicago, and 7 in central Florida.

Held at The Golden Gate Club, Presidio of San Francisco, CA, and produced by the Drug Policy Alliance, at this event Rick Doblin boldly announced MAPS' "Five Years, Five Million Dollars" plan to turn MDMA into a prescription medicine. Other presenters at the conference included Katherine Bonson, Jose Carlos Bouso, John Cloud, George Greer, Charles S. Grob, Steve Heilig, Jessica Malberg, Ethan Nadelmann, David Nichols, Dustianne North, Marcela Ot'alora, George Ricaurte, Marsha Rosenbaum, Emanuel Sferios, Alexander Shulgin, Ann Shulgin, and Sue Stevens. The purpose of this conference was to objectively present what is known about MDMA with respect to its clinical and therapeutic uses, scientific research into potential neurotoxicity, and the culture of ecstasy, including recreational use and raves. The goal of the conference was to formulate pragmatic recommendations for advancing the state of knowledge and health policy about MDMA. Tickets were $125.

Presumably from the word molecule, Molly is heard increasingly at festivals and in online forums.

Widely hailed as a less-biased media investigation into MDMA, this ABC Primetime Special Edition featured Peter Jennings exposing the U.S. government's non-scientific anti-drug propaganda, and included coverage of George Ricaurte's article in Science on the "neurotoxicity" of MDMA, which was retracted after it was discovered that the research had mistakenly been conducted using methamphetamine instead of MDMA.