Pentaerythrityl tetranitrate

A number of organic nitrates are potent vasodilators and have been used clinically for over lOOyears, particularly for the relief of the symptoms of angina (Fig. 8.6). The most widely used is glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) but the group includes pentaerythrityl tetranitrate (PETN), isosorbide mononitrate (ISMO) andisosorbide dinitrate (ISDN). 

Four nitrosamines, seven nitramines, three nitroesters and the explosives Semtex 10 and Composition B have been investigated by TGA. Linear dependence was confirmed between the position of the TGA onsets, as defined in the sense of Perkin-Elmer s TGA-7 standard program, and the samples weights. The slope of this dependence is closely related to the thermal reactivity and molecular structure. The intercept values of the dependence correlate with the autoignition temperatures and with the critical temperatures of the studied compounds, without any clear influence from molecular structure. Results show that Semtex 10 exhibits approximately the same thermostability as its active component pentaerythrityl tetranitrate (PETN, 274). Results also show that TGA data for Composition B do not correlate with analogous data for pure nitramines564. 

Pentaerythrityl tetranitrate. [78-11-5] M 316.2, m 140.1 . Crystd from acetone or acetone/EtOH. EXPLOSIVE. 

Pentaerythritol is used widely in the preparation of surface coatings and in the formation of its tetranitrate ester, pentaerythrityl tetranitrate [PETN, C(CH20N02)4], which is an important high explosive. 

C5HjN40,7. Aluminum alloy containers have been used for pentaerythrityl tetranitrate. See also Ref (3) pp. 115, 138. 142. 

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