Nitric acid Pentaerythritol tetranitrate

The reaction here is the standard nitric ester reaction. In this case, pentaerythritol is the alcohol, and it is nitrated by means of nitric acid to form the nitric ester pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). Here four molecules of nitric acid are needed for each molecule of pentaerythritol. 

Pentaerythritol may be nitrated by a batch process at 15.25°C using concentrated nitric acid in a stainless steel vessel equipped with an agitator and cooling coils to keep the reaction temperature at 15—25°C. The PETN is precipitated in a jacketed diluter by adding sufficient water to the solution to reduce the acid concentration to about 30%. The crystals are vacuum filtered and washed with water followed by washes with water containing a small amount of sodium carbonate and then cold water. The water-wet PETN is dissolved in acetone containing a small amount of sodium carbonate at 50°C and reprecipitated with water the yield is about 95%. Impurities include pentaerythritol trinitrate, dipentaerythritol hexanitrate, and tripentaerythritol acetonitrate. Pentaerythritol tetranitrate is shipped wet in water—alcohol in packing similar to that used for primary explosives. 

The condensation of acetaldehyde with excess formaldehyde in the presence of aqueous calcium hydroxide yields pentaerythritol (62) esterification of the latter with absolute nitric acid yields the powerful explosive, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) (3). ... 

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate [C(CH2N03)4 pentaerythritol (PE) with nitric acid (d =... 

The problem of producing asymmetric pentaerythritol tetranitrate esters of nitric acid, i.e. mixed pentaerythritol esters and pentaerythritol ether esters, is tackled from time to time in investigations which have the dual aims ... 

A variety of solvents, monomers, medicines, perfumes, and explosives are made from esters of nitric acid. Ethyl acetate, //-butyl acetate, iso-butyl acetate, glycerol trinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), glycol dinitrate, and cellulose nitrate are examples of such reactions. 

The mixture of alcohols undergoes nitration with nitric acid in the same manner as pentaerythritol, after which the crude product is treated with an equal portion (by weight) of acetone. PETN is insoluble, while nitrodipenta remains in solution with a small quantity of PETN, Water added carefully causes the residual pen-taenrthritol tetranitrate to precipitate. The solution separates into two layers the upper composed of fairly hydrated acetone containing a small amount of nitrodipenta, and the lower which consists of a saturated solution of nitrodipenta in acetone containing a little water. The bottom layer is removed and treated with an excess of alcohol. Almost pure dipentaerythritol hexanitrate is precipitated. 

PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) Nitric acid Sulfuric acid... 

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