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TETRYL
1. GENERAL PROPERTIES
1.1 Chemical and Physical Description.’ Tetryl (2,4,6-trinitro-
phenylmethylnitramine), C,H,N,O, is a light yellow crystalline solid. Other ac-
cepted names are 2,4,6-- trinitro-N-methylaniline; picrylmethylnitramine;
Tetrylite; Tetralite; Tetralita; and C. E.
1.2 Common Use. Tetryl is no longer commonly used as a US military explosive.
It was used as a booster explosive, in binary mixtures of TNT and tetryl (Tetratols),
and as the base charge in detonators.
1.3 Toxicity.2 Tetryl can yellow human skin and sometimes cause dermatitis.
Some workers’ eyes and nasal membranes may become irritated, which can lead to
excessive sneezing and nosebleeds. The suggested maximum permissible concentra-
tion of tetryl dust in air is 1.5 mg/m*.
2. MANUFACTURE AND PROCUREMENT
2.1 Manufacture.8 Two processes have been used extensively in tetryl produc-
tion. In the first, N,N-dimethylaniline is dissolved in concentrated sulfuric acid and
the mixture is run slowly into nitric acid. Cooling precipitates the crude tetryl,
which is then purified by washing with water and recrystallization from benzene or
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