Cyclonite

Acid—Base Chemistry. Acetic acid dissociates in water, pK = 4.76 at 25°C. It is a mild acid which can be used for analysis of bases too weak to detect in water (26). It readily neutralizes the ordinary hydroxides of the alkaU metals and the alkaline earths to form the corresponding acetates. When the cmde material pyroligneous acid is neutralized with limestone or magnesia the commercial acetate of lime or acetate of magnesia is obtained (7). Acetic acid accepts protons only from the strongest acids such as nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Other acids exhibit very powerful, superacid properties in acetic acid solutions and are thus useful catalysts for esterifications of olefins and alcohols (27). Nitrations conducted in acetic acid solvent are effected because of the formation of the nitronium ion, NO Hexamethylenetetramine [100-97-0] may be nitrated in acetic acid solvent to yield the explosive cycl o trim ethyl en etrin itram in e [121 -82-4] also known as cyclonit or RDX. 

The production of hexamethylenetetramine consumes about 6% of the U.S. formaldehyde supply (115). Its principal use is as a thermosetting catalyst for phenoHc resins. Other significant uses are for the manufacture of RDX (cyclonite) high explosives, in mol ding compounds, and for mbber vulcanisation accelerators. Some hexamethylenetetramine is made as an unisolated intermediate in the manufacture of nitfilotriacetic acid. 

Effect of Nitric Acid-Hexamine Ratio on Initial Rate of Cyclonite Formation at 0 C... 

Refs to nitrated materials, eg Cellulose Nitrate, Cyclonite etc., already described in this Encyclopedia will be found in Sections 11 111 In view of the definition of nitration presented above and the concepts to be developed in Section VIII, discussion of nitrate salts such as H2NNH2.HNG3 or CH3NH2.HN03 etc is not included in this article... 

RDX or Cyclonite was first prepd by Henning (Ref 6) for medicinal use in 1899. Its value as an expl was not recognized until 1920 (Ref 11). Much of the development for its large-scale production was done early in WWII (see Vol 3, C611-L)... 

In addition to Cyclonite, a nitrate of methylene glycol is also formed as a result of the cleavage of one of the three linkages between each nitrogen and carbon atom 0N02... 

RDX Cyclonite. The industrial prepn of RDX is discussed in Vol 3, C612-615. As in the case of NC this discussion needs to be expanded,... 

Onit. The name, now obsolete, used by AB Bofors, Nobelkrut, Bofors, Sweden, prior to WWII, to designate Hexogen (Cyclonite or RDX) as the basic material used in Bonits (see Vol 2, B242-R)... 

Other attempts to improve nitrodiglycol powders were based on the introduction of substances such as penthrite (German Nipolit Pulver) and cyclonite. In both cases a powder with a high calorific value was obtained. The manufacture of these powders never went beyond the pilot plant scale ... 

Plastic explosives vary in composition and go by different names. The U.S. military has two versions C-3 and C-4. The British call theirs PE-2 and the Italians T-4. Other names used are RDX and, especially in Europe, Hexagen and Cyclonite. 

Synonyms Cyclonite hexahydro-l,3,5-trini-tro-l,3,5-triazine hexogen... 

Workers exposed to RDX in an explosives plant complained of nausea and exhibited vomiting, epileptiform seizures, and unconsciousness, which lasted a few minutes to 24 hours with periods of stupor, nausea, vomiting, and weakness. Recovery was complete with no sequelae. In a more recent case, a worker, handling cyclonite without adequate protection, experienced malaise with dizziness, headache, and nausea that progressed to unconsciousness and generalized seizures. The role of dermal absorption was unclear because of concomitant exposure to the dust. 

Cotton reacts with nitric acid to form a polymeric explosive material, nitrocellulose. Nitric acid reacts with hexamethylenetetramine, ammonium nitrate, and acetic anhydride to form cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, a high explosive known as cyclonite, used to make plastic bombs ... 

HMX, Octagen, Octahydro-l,3,5,7-tetranitro-l,3,5,7-tetrazine RDX, Cyclonite, Hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazine Secondary Aliphatic Amines Selenium... 

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