IMPROVED METHODS FOR CONVERTING CANNABIDIOL INTO DELTA9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL UNDER PROTIC REACTION CONDITIONS

1 .- 18 . (canceled)

19 . A method for converting cannabidiol (CBD) into Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC), the method comprising contacting the CBD with a Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent in a protic-solvent system.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent comprises an ion-exchange resin, a microporous silicate, a mesoporous silicate, a phyllosilicate, or any combination thereof.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the ion-exchange resin is an Amberlyst polymeric resin.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the Amberlyst polymeric resin is Amberlyst-15, 16, 31, 33, 35, 36, 39, 46, 70, CH10, CH28, CH43, M-31, or a H + or Na + form thereof, or any combination thereof.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the Amberlyst polymeric resin is Amberlyst-15.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the ion-exchange resin is a Nafion polymeric resin.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the Nafion polymeric resin is Nafion-NR50, N115, N117, N324, N424, N1110, SAC-13, or a H + or Na + form thereof, or any combination thereof.

26 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the microporous silicate is ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, SAPO-11, SAPO-34, SSZ-13, TS-1, Beta, X-type, Y-type, Linde type A, Linde type L, Linde type X, Linde type Y, or any combination thereof.

27 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the mesoporous silicate is Al-MCM-41, MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15, SBA-16, KIT-5, KIT-6, FDU-12, or any combination thereof.

28 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the phyllosilicate is Faujasite, Mordenite, Ferrierite, Montmorillonite K10, Montmorillonite K20, Montmorillonite K30, Montmorillonite KSF, Clayzic, bentonite, or any combination thereof.

29 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the protic-solvent system comprises methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, water, acetic acid, formic acid, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-pentanol, nitromethane, or a combination thereof.

30 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the protic-solvent system is ethanol.

31 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the CBD is dissolved in the protic-solvent system at a concentration between about 0.001 M and about 2 M.

32 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising heating the CBD, the Lewis-acidic heterogeneous reagent and the protic-solvent system.

33 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the Δ 9 -THC is a component of a composition that further comprises Δ 8 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 8 -THC), and wherein the composition has a Δ 9 -THC:Δ 8 -THC ratio that is greater than 1.0:1.0.

34 . A method for converting cannabidiol (CBD) into Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC), the method comprising contacting the CBD with an ion-exchange resin in a protic class III solvent at a reaction temperature that is less than about 80° C.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the ion-exchange resin is Amberlyst-15.

36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the Δ 9 -THC is a component of a composition that further comprises Δ 8 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 8 -THC), and wherein the composition has a Δ 9 -THC:Δ 8 -THC ratio that is greater than 1.0:1.0.

37 . A method for converting cannabidiol (CBD) into Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 9 -THC), the method comprising contacting the CBD with an aluminosilicate-based reagent in a protic class III solvent at a reaction temperature that is less than about 80° C.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the aluminosilicate-based reagent is ZSM-5.

39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the Δ 9 -THC is a component of a composition that further comprises Δ 8 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ 8 -THC), and wherein the composition has a Δ 9 -THC:Δ 8 -THC ratio that is greater than 1.0:1.0.