Nitroglycerin, discovery

Indeed it can be stated that the history of modern expls begins with the discoveries of nitroglycerin (NG) and nitrocellulose (or more correctly cellulose nitrate or NC) nearly 125 years ago, and their application to military and commercial usage. An excellent review of the early history of NC is given by. T.L. Davis (Ref 29, pp 244—56). The early histories of NG and EGDN (discovered in 1870) are summarized, respectively, in Vol 6, G99-R to G100-R and E259-R, and in the Naoum reference cited above... 

When Murad, Furchgott, and Ignarro received their Nobel Prizes, however, scientists still did not know exactly how nitroglycerin was broken down by the body and converted into nitric oxide. In 2002, researchers at Duke University in North Carolina found an enzyme in mitochondria, the cell s powerhouse, that they believe is responsible for this process. This discovery also explained a phenomenon that doctors had long observed—over time, nitroglycerin stops working and no longer relieves the patient s chest pain. 

Even more rapid reaction can be produced if oxygen and fuel are provided in a single chemical molecule. The discovery of nitroglycerine by Sobrero led to the first product of this type to achieve commercial importance. Nitroglycerine contains enough oxygen to bum all its own... 

The first high explosive discovered was probably nitrocellulose, in the period 1833 to 1846, but its development was long delayed by difficulties in obtaining a stable product. The two major discoveries in this field were of nitroglycerine by Sobrero in 1847 and TNT by Wilbrand in 1863. Of these, the first to attain commercial importance was nitroglycerine. 

Simultaneously, the discovery of nitroglycerine in 1845 by Sobrero in Italy, and Nobel s work with dynamite, led to the development of a new generation of true high explosives that were far superior to black powder for many blasting and explosives applications. The development of modern smokeless powder -using nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine - led to the demise of black powder as the main propellant for guns of all types and sizes. 

The history of modern explosives commenced with the discoveries of nitroglycerin and of nitrocellulose. At about the time that Sobrero first prepared nitroglycerin, Schonbein at Basel and Bottger at Frankfort-on-the-Main independently of each other nitrated cotton, perceived the possibilities in the product, and... 

Nobel found that liquid nitroglycerine when absorbed in kieselguhr could be packed conveniently and safely into paper cartridges. Discovery of Guhrdynamite. 

The discovery of mercury fulminate [Hg(CNO)2] by Alfred Nobel in 1864 improved the initiation process. This chemical complex replaced the black powder in the initiation of nitroglycerine in boreholes. 

The chemistry of explosives was very active at that time as nitroglycerine was introduced. Nitrocellulose, known as gun cotton, was produced by the direct nitration of cellulose. The discovery and the use of nitrocellulose were associated with the names of two scientists, Schonbein and Bottger. 

For several years after the discovery of nitroglycerin, the possibility of using it as an explosive attracted very little interest. Indeed, it first came into use as a medicine, and the first serious study on its preparation, after the work of Sobrero, was made by J. E. de Vrij, professor of chemistry in the Medical School at Rotterdam, and published in the Dutch journal of < pharmacy, Ti)dschrift voor wetensch. pharm., in 1865, The next... 

The substitution reaction of nitric acid with glycerol produces the explosive nitroglycerine. Alfred Nobel s (1833-1896) discovery in 1866 that this very sensitive material could be made into a safe explosive by absorbing it into diatomaceous earth or wood meal led to his development of dynamite. 

PROBLEM 15.10 Alfred Nobel s fortune was based on his 1866 discovery that nitroglycerin, which is far too shock-sensitive to be transported or used safely, can be stabilized by adsorption onto a substance called kieselguhr to give what is familiar to us as dynamite. Nitroglycerin is the trinitrate of glycerol (1,2,3-propanetriol). Write a structural formula or construct a molecular model of nitroglycerin. 

The discovery of the biological role of nitric oxide has shed light on how nitroglycerin (C3H5N3O9)... 

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