Hybrid Astrolite-TNT [Published]
AndersHoveland
Acolyte
This is a single chemical compound, not a composition of two compounds.
Several technical names are possible: N-amino-1,3-dinitroanaline nitrate;
dinitrophenyl hydrazinium nitrate; or Dinitrobenzene-Hydrazine Nitrate (DNBHN).
The chemical structute is:
(NO2)2(C6H3)NHNH3(+), NO3(-)
DNBHN is basically a hybrid between TNT and astrolite, without so much of the poisonous fumes. This explosive can also be mixed with a lesser quantity of ammonium nitrate to stretch a smaller quantity of the DNBHN into a larger ammount, without taking away much from its explosive power.
This explosive only requires 65-75% nitric acid, which is much easier to obtain or make than 98% concentrated nitric or sulfuric acids. Alternatively, a nitrate salt could be simply mixed with 75% sulfuric acid (which can be concentrated by boiling out water) in place the the plain nitric acid. The most difficult part of this explosive is that it requires hydrazine, which can be made with kitchen chemicals, but only in very small ammounts. This is a very powerful explosive, only somewhat less powerful than C4.
Summary of Reactions
A hyrazine salt will condense with dinitrochlorobenzene to replace the chlorine atom with hydrazine. This does not require any heat. Paradichlorobenzene, used in old style mothballs, could be used instead, in which case, two hydrazines would condense onto the benzene. This double condensation salt is probably as powerful as RDX. This compound should be innitiated by a strong booster charge for maximum detonation velocity to be achieved.
2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine can be prepared by the reaction of hydrazine sulfate with 2,4-dinitro chlorobenzene. The chlorine is only able to come off because the nitro groups allow creation of a resonance state where an electron is able to be donated to the Cl atom from inside the ring.
The nitrate salt of 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine would be like a condensation of dinitrophenol and hydrazine nitrate. Using paradichlorobenzene (common reagent, also still found in some types of mothballs), nitrating, and then adding hydrazine sulfate, would likely make 1,4-hydrazine,2,5-dinitro benzene (at least the sulfate of this compound). The nitrate can be derived from the sulfate by reacting with calcium nitrate, then collecting the insoluble calcium sulfate byproduct. Alternatively, the sulfate salt can react with NaOH, forming sodium sulfate, which is not very soluble in water when cold. The basic dihydazine-, dinitro- benzene is then soluble in pure alcohol. This basic compound can then react with ammonium nitrate, forming the nitrate salt of the hydrazine compound and giving off ammonia gas.
This does not require heating, but warming the solution helps because it is an endomethermic reaction. Ammonium perchlorate can similarly be used instead, giving the perchlorate salt of the hydrazine compound instead. While this is much more powerful, be aware the perchlorates of hydrazine derivitives tend to be dangerously friction sensitive, whereas the nitrates of such such derivitives tend to be much safer (around the sensitivity of RDX).
Synthesis for Nitrating Chlorobenzene
90 mL of chlorobenzene is added dropwise with a dropper pipet or buret to a previously prepared, and cooled to room temperature, mixture of 110 mL of 99% nitric acid and 185 mL of 99% sulfuric acid, in a 1000-mL beaker, while the mixture is stirred mechanically with a magnetic stirrer. A stirrer is essential for the length of time required, you may try this by hand with a stirring rod at your own risk. The temperature will rise because of the heat of the reaction, but should not be allowed to go above 50-55 °C. After all the chlorobenzene has been added, the temperature is slowly raised to 95 °C and is kept there for 2 hours longer while the stirring is continued. An upper layer of light yellow liquid solidifies when cold. The layer is removed, broken up under water, and rinsed. The spent acid, on dilution with water, will precipitate an additional quantity of dinitrochlorobenzene. All the product is brought together, washed with cold water, then several times with hot water while it is melted, and once more with cold water under which it is crushed. Finally, it is drained and allowed to dry at room temperature. The product, melting at about 50 °C, consists largely of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, along with a small quantity of the 2,6-dinitro compound, m.p. 87-88 °C. The two substances are equally suitable for manufacture of other explosives or alone as an explosive. You will need a graduated cylinder for measuring liquids, and a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
WARNING: Dinitrochloro benzene is extremely poisonous. Inhaling the vapors can be deadly, similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. Skin contact causes severe rash, itchy burning sensation, and blistering, basically an allergic reaction like poison ivy.
Synthesis for Condensing Hydrazine with NitroChloroBenzene
Thirty-five grams of hydrazine sulfate added to 125 cc. of hot water in a 400 cc. beaker and stirred during the addition of 85 g of potassium acetate (an adjusted ammount of sodium acetate may be used instead. sodium hydroxide may be also substitute, but use of this will reduce yield and give a poorer quality product). The mixture is boiled five minutes and then cooled to about 70°; 75 cc. of alcohol is added, and the solid is filtered with suction and washed with 75 cc. of hot alcohol. The filtered hydrazine solution is used in the next step.
In a 1 Liter flask fitted with a stirrer and reflux condenser, 50.5 g. of technical 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene is dissolved in 250 cc. of alcohol; the hydrazine solution is added, and the mixture is refluxed with stirring for an hour. Most of the product separates during the first ten minutes and much heat is generated at this time so the solution should be be cooled. The crystals are then filtered, washed once with 50 cc. of warm alcohol (60°) to remove unreacted organic halide and then with 50 cc. of hot water. The solid weighs 30 g. and has a melting point over a transition of 180–192°C, which is accompanied by evolution of gas from partial decomposition. This procedure gives crystals pure enough for general use. By distilling half the alcohol from the filtrate a less pure second crop is obtained; this is recrystallized from alcohal, preferably n-butyl alcohol (30 cc. per g.) or pyridine may be used instead. The total yield is 40–42g which is about an 85% yield.
Starting with hydrazine hydrate instead will give a slightly higher yield.
Substituting picryl chloride as the beginning precursor in this procedure will yield 2,4,6-trinitrophenylhydrazine.
(Gazz Purgotti, Ital. Chem. J. 24 , Volume 1, 555, 1894)
Dangerous Chemical Instability
Trinitro phenylhydrazine should not be stored, as it is likely liable to spontaneous ignition or detonation, similar to trinitroanaline. The addition of the third nitro group would make the molecule somewhat oxidizing relative to the hydrazine group, which is a reactive reducer. Thus, while the compound is initially very insensitive to shock, it is not chemically stable over time.
Several technical names are possible: N-amino-1,3-dinitroanaline nitrate;
dinitrophenyl hydrazinium nitrate; or Dinitrobenzene-Hydrazine Nitrate (DNBHN).
The chemical structute is:
(NO2)2(C6H3)NHNH3(+), NO3(-)
DNBHN is basically a hybrid between TNT and astrolite, without so much of the poisonous fumes. This explosive can also be mixed with a lesser quantity of ammonium nitrate to stretch a smaller quantity of the DNBHN into a larger ammount, without taking away much from its explosive power.
This explosive only requires 65-75% nitric acid, which is much easier to obtain or make than 98% concentrated nitric or sulfuric acids. Alternatively, a nitrate salt could be simply mixed with 75% sulfuric acid (which can be concentrated by boiling out water) in place the the plain nitric acid. The most difficult part of this explosive is that it requires hydrazine, which can be made with kitchen chemicals, but only in very small ammounts. This is a very powerful explosive, only somewhat less powerful than C4.
Summary of Reactions
A hyrazine salt will condense with dinitrochlorobenzene to replace the chlorine atom with hydrazine. This does not require any heat. Paradichlorobenzene, used in old style mothballs, could be used instead, in which case, two hydrazines would condense onto the benzene. This double condensation salt is probably as powerful as RDX. This compound should be innitiated by a strong booster charge for maximum detonation velocity to be achieved.
2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine can be prepared by the reaction of hydrazine sulfate with 2,4-dinitro chlorobenzene. The chlorine is only able to come off because the nitro groups allow creation of a resonance state where an electron is able to be donated to the Cl atom from inside the ring.
The nitrate salt of 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine would be like a condensation of dinitrophenol and hydrazine nitrate. Using paradichlorobenzene (common reagent, also still found in some types of mothballs), nitrating, and then adding hydrazine sulfate, would likely make 1,4-hydrazine,2,5-dinitro benzene (at least the sulfate of this compound). The nitrate can be derived from the sulfate by reacting with calcium nitrate, then collecting the insoluble calcium sulfate byproduct. Alternatively, the sulfate salt can react with NaOH, forming sodium sulfate, which is not very soluble in water when cold. The basic dihydazine-, dinitro- benzene is then soluble in pure alcohol. This basic compound can then react with ammonium nitrate, forming the nitrate salt of the hydrazine compound and giving off ammonia gas.
This does not require heating, but warming the solution helps because it is an endomethermic reaction. Ammonium perchlorate can similarly be used instead, giving the perchlorate salt of the hydrazine compound instead. While this is much more powerful, be aware the perchlorates of hydrazine derivitives tend to be dangerously friction sensitive, whereas the nitrates of such such derivitives tend to be much safer (around the sensitivity of RDX).
Synthesis for Nitrating Chlorobenzene
90 mL of chlorobenzene is added dropwise with a dropper pipet or buret to a previously prepared, and cooled to room temperature, mixture of 110 mL of 99% nitric acid and 185 mL of 99% sulfuric acid, in a 1000-mL beaker, while the mixture is stirred mechanically with a magnetic stirrer. A stirrer is essential for the length of time required, you may try this by hand with a stirring rod at your own risk. The temperature will rise because of the heat of the reaction, but should not be allowed to go above 50-55 °C. After all the chlorobenzene has been added, the temperature is slowly raised to 95 °C and is kept there for 2 hours longer while the stirring is continued. An upper layer of light yellow liquid solidifies when cold. The layer is removed, broken up under water, and rinsed. The spent acid, on dilution with water, will precipitate an additional quantity of dinitrochlorobenzene. All the product is brought together, washed with cold water, then several times with hot water while it is melted, and once more with cold water under which it is crushed. Finally, it is drained and allowed to dry at room temperature. The product, melting at about 50 °C, consists largely of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, along with a small quantity of the 2,6-dinitro compound, m.p. 87-88 °C. The two substances are equally suitable for manufacture of other explosives or alone as an explosive. You will need a graduated cylinder for measuring liquids, and a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
WARNING: Dinitrochloro benzene is extremely poisonous. Inhaling the vapors can be deadly, similar to carbon monoxide poisoning. Skin contact causes severe rash, itchy burning sensation, and blistering, basically an allergic reaction like poison ivy.
Synthesis for Condensing Hydrazine with NitroChloroBenzene
Thirty-five grams of hydrazine sulfate added to 125 cc. of hot water in a 400 cc. beaker and stirred during the addition of 85 g of potassium acetate (an adjusted ammount of sodium acetate may be used instead. sodium hydroxide may be also substitute, but use of this will reduce yield and give a poorer quality product). The mixture is boiled five minutes and then cooled to about 70°; 75 cc. of alcohol is added, and the solid is filtered with suction and washed with 75 cc. of hot alcohol. The filtered hydrazine solution is used in the next step.
In a 1 Liter flask fitted with a stirrer and reflux condenser, 50.5 g. of technical 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene is dissolved in 250 cc. of alcohol; the hydrazine solution is added, and the mixture is refluxed with stirring for an hour. Most of the product separates during the first ten minutes and much heat is generated at this time so the solution should be be cooled. The crystals are then filtered, washed once with 50 cc. of warm alcohol (60°) to remove unreacted organic halide and then with 50 cc. of hot water. The solid weighs 30 g. and has a melting point over a transition of 180–192°C, which is accompanied by evolution of gas from partial decomposition. This procedure gives crystals pure enough for general use. By distilling half the alcohol from the filtrate a less pure second crop is obtained; this is recrystallized from alcohal, preferably n-butyl alcohol (30 cc. per g.) or pyridine may be used instead. The total yield is 40–42g which is about an 85% yield.
Starting with hydrazine hydrate instead will give a slightly higher yield.
Substituting picryl chloride as the beginning precursor in this procedure will yield 2,4,6-trinitrophenylhydrazine.
(Gazz Purgotti, Ital. Chem. J. 24 , Volume 1, 555, 1894)
Dangerous Chemical Instability
Trinitro phenylhydrazine should not be stored, as it is likely liable to spontaneous ignition or detonation, similar to trinitroanaline. The addition of the third nitro group would make the molecule somewhat oxidizing relative to the hydrazine group, which is a reactive reducer. Thus, while the compound is initially very insensitive to shock, it is not chemically stable over time.
Comments
hydrazinium nitrate NH2NH3[+] NO3[-]
detonation velocity: 8690m/s
density: 1.60g/cm3
melting point: 63C
hydrazinium dinitrate [+]NH3NH3[+] NO3[-] NO3[-]
The dinitrate of hydrazine, N2H6(NO3)2 , has an even higher melting point (80C) than the mononitrate, and is more easily detonated than is the mononitrate, although it has a slightly lower detonation velocity (8400m/s ?)
Astrolite
a mixture of 79% hydrazine hydrate and 21% anhydrous hydrazine has a detonation velocity of 8580m/sec, detonation pressure of 283 kbar and density of 1.42 g/cm3
hydroxylammonium nitrate, HONH3[+] NO3[-], melts at 48degC.
It is much more energetic, and a better oxidizer, than ammonium nitrate.
Sodium hydrazide
Sodium hydrazide NaN2H3 is a pale yellow crystalline compound which is pyrophoric and can explode on exposure to air, and explodes violently when heated above 100 C. It can be produced by gradually addition of drops of hydrazine hydrate into a suspension of sodium in ether, then heating in the absence of oxygen. Otherwise hydrazine reacts very vigorously with sodium metal, producing only hydrogen and ammonia. For the reaction between sodium amide and anhydrous hydrazine, it was found necessary to use the sodium amide in finely divided form, as otherwise it will react only very slowly with the hydrazine because a protective coating of the sodium hydrazide forms on the surface.