1999 Readers' Choice Awards: You voted, we counted--here are the results

A 1:1:2 mixed orthocarbonate of the formula wherein R and R'' are each one of the following groups -CH2C(NO2)2CH3, -CH2C(NO2)3, -CH2CF(NO2)2, -CH2CF2(NO2), and -CH2CF3, and R' is one of the following CH2CF(NO2)2, CH2CF2(NO2), and CH2CF3, provided that R NOTEQUAL R', R NOTEQUAL R'', and R' NOTEQUAL R''. These 1:1:2 orthocarbonates are produced by the following reaction sequence: wherein R, R', and R'' are as defined above. By choosing R and R'' to be the same and either -CH2(NO2)2CH3 or -CH2C(NO2)3 in the above reaction, 1:3 mixed orthocarbonates of the formula wherein R NOTEQUAL R', R'' NOTEQUAL R', R=R'', and R and R'' are each CH2C(NO2)2CH3, CH2C(NO2)3, CH2CF2(NO2), or CH2CF3, and R' is CH2CF(NO2)2, CH2CF2(NO2) or CH2CF3 may be prepared.