One Pot Benzodiazepine Synthesis, no lab equipment required - Personal Experience
Synthesis of 2-haloacetamido-benzophenone:
To a pressure-proof glass tube, 1mmol of substituted 2-amino/methylamino-benzophenone of choice and 3mL NMP is added. Stir until all solid dissolved, heat can be applied if needed. To the solution, 1.2mmol of haloacetyl halide is added at RT (all bromoacetyl bromide, chloroacetyl chloride or bromoacetyl chloride will work). The reaction is started upon contact, indicated by evolution of HCl/HBr gas and the change of color of the solution. The mixture is set aside for 30min.
Synthesis of benzodiazepine:
To the mixture from previous step, 2mL more NMP is added. The reaction is quenched by pouring 3mL of water with 1mmol Na2CO3 dissolved. A lot white solid was parcipitated out with evolution of CO2 gas. 1mL of 40% HMTA solution and 2.2mmol of NH4OAc is then added. The tube is sealed and put into a hot water bath at 65C for 3-4h. After completion or reaction, the solution was slowly poured into ice water allowing product to be parcipitate out, followed by simple filtration with coffee filter and washed multiple times with ice water until no NMP can be smelled. The product is dried in air for 24h and ready to be used.
Edit: For 2-amino derivatives, it is better to keep the solution cool in order to prevent forming of byproduct; For 2-methylamino derivatives, it may be necessary to heat up the solution before addition of haloacetyl halides due to lower reactivity.