A “Green” Primary Explosive: Design, Synthesis, and Testing

This account presents the synthesis and the characterization of triazine-tetrazine nitrogen heterocyclic compounds. Some compounds were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The physical and chemical properties were obtained by EXPLO5 v6.01, gas pycnometer, BAM Fallhammer, BAM Friction tester, and several detonation tests. The results show that the new metal-free polyazido compound 3,6-bis-[2-(4,6-diazido-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-diazenyl]-1,2,4,5-tetrazine ( 4 ) with high heat of formation (2820 kJ mol –1 /6130.2 kJ kg –1 ) and excellent detonation velocity and pressure ( D = 8602 m s –1 , P = 29.4 GPa) could be used as ingredient in secondary explosives. 3,6-Bis-[2-(4,6-diazido-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-hydrazinyl]-1,2,4,5-tetrazine ( 3 ) can detonate research department explosive (RDX, cyclonite) as a primer (Δ f H m = 2114 kJ mol –1 /4555.2 kJ kg –1 , D = 8365 m s –1 , P = 26.8 GPa), whose initiation capacity is comparable to that of the traditional primary explosive Pb(N 3 ) 2 . Therefore, the metal-free compound 3 can potentially replace lead-based-primary explosives, which would be advantageous for the environment. 1 Introduction 2 Strategies to Form High-Nitrogen Compounds with High Heat of Formation 3 Metal-Free Strategies to Prepare Primary Explosives 4 Concluding Remarks