The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

TRINITROTRIAZIDOBENZENE 437
purified further by dissolving in chloroform and allowing to cool,
greenish-yellow crystals, m.p. 131° with decomposition. It is decomposed
slowly by boiling in chloroform solution.
Trinitrotriazidobenzene is readily soluble in acetone, moderately
soluble in chloroform, sparingly in alcohol, and insoluble in
water. It is not hygroscopic, is stable toward moisture, and does
not attack iron, steel, copper, or brass in the presence of moisture.
It is not appreciably volatile at 35-50°. It darkens in color superficially
on exposure to the light. It decomposes on melting with
the evolution of nitrogen and the formation of hexanitrosobenzene.
NO2
N.A-N3
NOr-l J-NO2
Y N,
NO
NO-/
V N O
> 3N2 +
NO-1
J-NO
Y
NO
The same reaction occurs at lower temperatures: 0.665% of a
given portion of the material decomposes in 3 years at 20°,
2.43% in 1 year at 35°, 0.65% in 10 days at 50°, and 100%
during 14 hours heating at 100°. The decomposition is not selfcatalyzed.
The product, hexanitrosobenzene, m.p. 159°, is stable,
not hygroscopic, not a primary explosive, and is comparable to
tetryl in its explosive properties.
Trinitrotriazidobenzene, if ignited in the open, burns freely
with a greenish flame; enclosed in a tube and ignited, it detonates
with great brisance. It is less sensitive to shock and to
friction than mercury fulminate. It gives a drop test of 30 cm.,
but it may be made as sensitive as fulminate by mixing with
ground glass. The specific gravity of the crystalline material is
1.8054. Under a pressure of 3000 kilograms per square centimeter
it yields blocks having a density of 1.7509, under 5000
kilograms per square centimeter 1.7526. One gram of TNT compressed
in a No. 8 detonator shell under a pressure of 500 kilograms
per square centimeter, with trinitrotriazidobenzene compressed
on top of it under 300 kilograms per square centimeter,
required 0.02 gram of the latter substance for complete detonation.
Tctryl under similar conditions required only 0.01 gram. Tri-