Corbat adding that group makes it a different molecule. Making MDMA from meth would be a pain in the ass synthetically. The alkyl substituent and the phenol are both ortho, para directors. You would get almost exclusively 2,4 hydroxymethamphetamine. Which won't become MDMA no matter what you do.
PiHKAL doesn't have a synth for MDMA starting from benzene. Because he has a synth from MDA using formic acid, and one from MDP2P, with 2 routes to that, one from piperonal and one from safrole. Because they weren't closely watched until well after the publication of TiHKAL.
Starting from benzene use one the 8 billion routes to phenol, oxidize with H2O2 to catechol. Use preferred method to separate out any 1,4 dihydroxybenzene. React with allyl bromide, using a slight excess of catechol. Run through a column to separate unreacted catechol (save), and and any of the diether. Take the allylcatechol and heat the fuck out of it, iirc it's around 270°C that it rearranges to 3,4 dihydroxy-1-allylbenzene. Using strong base and a phase transfer catalyst react with CH2Br2 or CH2I2 to form safrole. Wacker oxidize it and reductively aminate.
Corbat you're dumber than an English major. Most probably a liar and a troll. Go away and stop wasting server space.
The life of a successful clandestine chemist is not the most enjoyable. All that MDMA ain't very fun when you're all alone in the middle of nowhere so that no one notices the stench of your fucking lab.