TNT: Trinitrotoluenes and Mono and Dinitrotoluenes

HISTORICAL 17
modification. Peculiarly enough, this was the first
discovered, very likely because it is the modification
present in the largest proportions in the nitration of
toluene.
The discoverer of the symmetrical trinitrotoluene
was Dr. J. Wilbrand, who, at the time of his discovery,
was working at Gottingen University. Dr. Wilbrand's
discovery was made in 1862 or 1863. Speaking
of his research, which led to the isolation of the symmetrical
TNT, Dr. Wilbrand says: " The preparation
of trinitrotoluene is very easy. Toluene is heated to
about boiling temperature with a mixture of fuming
nitric and sulphuric acids for a day. The acid mixture
is agitated with water, and the residue is crystallized
after washing with water and drying with alcohol.
The analysis of trinitrotoluene is:
Carbon...
Hydrogen
Nitrogen.
Oxygen..
Trinitrotoluene crystallizes in white glistening
needles, which are, to all appearances, scarcely different
from dinitrotoluene. This substance melts at
82° and is easily soluble in hot alcohol, but very slightly
in cold. In ether it is easily soluble. Boiling alkalies
react much easier with trinitrotoluene than with dinitrotoluene.
From the deep red alkaline solution,
acids precipitate dark flocks.' 7 (17)
The constitution and formula of trinitrotoluene was
established by Claus and Becker, who, by experiment,