TNT: Trinitrotoluenes and Mono and Dinitrotoluenes

INTRODUCTION 3
By treating toluene with nitric acid, three nitrogroups
attach themselves to the molecule in this
manner:
CH3
CH3
O2N/NNO2
+3HN03-> +3H2O.
NO2
This particular trinitrotoluene is one of the six
isomeric compounds of that name, and is the one
formed by the commercial nitration of toluene. Chemically
it is the a, 1-2-4-6, or " symmetrical" trinitrotoluene.
Trinitrotoluene belongs to the shattering class of
explosives known as the " brisants." The members
of this class possess great force, and upon exploding,
shatter the containing shell into small pieces, thus
doing more damage per shell.
The other well-known member of the brisant class
of explosives is picric acid, or trinitrophenol. Previous
to the use of trinitrotoluene, picric acid was used
largely as the explosive charge in shells. There are
several disadvantages in picric acid, however, which
trinitrotoluene does not have. Picric acid forms salts
(picrates) with a great number of the metals. These
picrates are very unstable, and are quite sensitive to
shock, thus giving rise to premature explosions which
often result fatally. Trinitrotoluene is very inactive
toward the greater number of the metals. Furthermore,
picric acid has a high melting-point (122.5°)
while the melting-point of trinitrotoluene is low enough
(80.6°) that it may be poured into the shell in the
molten state without danger from fire.