The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

METHYLNITRAMINE 371
Methylnitramine
Methylnitramine is produced when aniline reacts with tetryl
in benzene solution, and when ammonia water or barium hydroxide
solution acts upon dinitrodimethyloxamide. The structure of
tetryl was first proved by its synthesis from picryl chloride and
the potassium salt of methylnitramine.
Methylnitramine is a strong monobasic acid, very readily
soluble in water, alcohol, chloroform, and benzene, less soluble
in ether, and sparingly soluble in petroleum ether. It crystallizes
from ether in flat needles which melt at 38°. It is not decomposed
by boiling in aqueous solution even in the presence of an excess
of alkali. On distillation it yields dimethylnitramine, m.p. 57°,
methyl alcohol, nitrous oxide and other products. Methylnitramine
owes its acidity to the fact that it is tautomeric.
/H JQ
CHa—N< ^ CH,—N=N