Thermal decomposition of nitramines: dimethylnitramine, diisopropylnitramine, and N-nitropiperidine

Kinetics and activation parameters of the solution thermolysis of nitramines dimethylnitramine, diisopropylnitramine, and N-nitropiperidine were determined over the temperature range 200-300 o C. Each formed the corresponding nitrosamine as the only, or major, condensed-phase product. For dimethylnitramine the products were completely characterized. The observations of a large positive activation volume in the thermolysis of dimethylnitramine and of the slowing of the decomposition reaction with increased solvent viscosity both suggest that the rate-determining step is homolysis, the N-NO 2 bond being the most obvious point for this