Nitric esters explosive properties

Esters of nitro alcohols with primary alcohol groups can be prepared from the nitro alcohol and an organic acid, but nitro alcohols with secondary alcohol groups can be esterified only through the use of an acid chloride or anhydride. The nitrate esters of the nitro alcohols are obtained easily by treatment with nitric acid (qv). The resulting products have explosive properties but are not used commercially. 

As regards explosive strength, nitramines occupy a position midway between nitro compounds and nitric esters. They also hold a central position regarding other properties, such as chemical stability and sensitiveness to impact and friction. 

Energy Flexible Explosive. HI. The Nitric Ester-Plasticized Nitrostarch Binder System , ARLCD-TR-77043 (1977) CA 87,203830 (1977) [An HMX contg flexible, w-repellant expl is reported with the following properties bullet impact — no Are or expin cap sensy — No 8 cap cold temp, —10° d — 1.59g/cc deton vel — 8219 m/sec friction pendulum (steel shoe) no crackle, fire or expin power by BalPend — 1.316 (TNT=... 

At present nitration is one of the most widely applied direct substitution reactions. This is due to several factors. For example nitration usually proceeds easily, its products can readily be separated from the spent acid, said there is a wide range of possibilities in the practical use of nitro compounds, both as intermediates and end products. The presence of a nitro group in the starting product made it possible to obtain a number of basic organic intermediates such as aniline said benzidine. Dyes with more than one nitro group, such as picric acid were obtained. It has been found that higher nitrated nitro compounds and nitric acid esters have explosive properties and are of practical importance. Some nitro compounds are used in perfumes. Medicinal properties have lately been discovered in certain nitro compounds, eg. chloramphenicol. 

Nitroalcohols X and XI may be utilized as starting materials for the manufacture of nitric acid esters having explosive properties (see Vol. II). In the presence of primary or secondary amines or ammonia the reaction leads to formation of aminonitroalcohols (XII)... 

Properties Nitroglycerine high explosive known today. Howrever, there are many other similar liquid nitric esters which have the same explosive properties as NG. Many of these have somewhat inferior blasting power to that of NG (a few are superior) but are more stable towards mechanical shock than NG itself. PGDN is just one such compound, being at least ten times more stable towards mechanical shock than NG. Under the falling weight test, NG detonates at... 

Physical properties Dipole moments Spectroscopy Hydrolysis of nitric esters Reduction of nitric esters Some 4>thcr reactions of nunc esters Form Jlion of nitric esters Nitric esters as explosives C hemical stability... 

Cellulose nitrate is another useful cellulose derivative. Like glycerol, cellulose can be converted with nitric acid to a nitrate ester (compare eq. 7.41). The number of hydroxyl groups nitrated per glucose unit determines the properties of the product. Guncotton, a highly nitrated cellulose, is an efficient explosive used in smokeless powders. 

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