Hexanitrobenzene
Encyclopedia
Hexanitrobenzene, also known as HNB, is a high-density
explosive compound with chemical formula
C
6N
6O
12, obtained by oxidizing the amine
group of pentanitroaniline
with hydrogen peroxide
in sulfuric acid
.
, another explosive.
HNB was experimentally used as a gas source for explosively pumped gas dynamic laser
. In this application, HNB and tetranitromethane
is preferred to more conventional explosives because the explosion products CO2 and N2 are a simple enough mixture to simulate gas dynamic processes and quite similar to conventional gas dynamic laser medium. The water and hydrogen products of many other explosives could interfere with vibrational states of CO2 in this type of laser.
Complete nitration of benzene is practically impossible, because the nitro groups are deactivating groups
for further nitration.
Density
The mass density or density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ . In some cases , density is also defined as its weight per unit volume; although, this quantity is more properly called specific weight...
explosive compound with chemical formula
Chemical formula
A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
C
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
6N
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
6O
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
12, obtained by oxidizing the amine
Amine
Amines are organic compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are derivatives of ammonia, wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent such as an alkyl or aryl group. Important amines include amino acids, biogenic amines,...
group of pentanitroaniline
Pentanitroaniline
Pentanitroaniline is an explosive organic compound. It is a relatively sensitive explosive that can be used as a base charge for detonators, although it is uncommon in this application....
with hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
in sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
.
Properties
HNB has the undesirable property of being moderately sensitive to light and therefore hard to utilize safely. It is not currently used in any production explosives applications, though it is used as a precursor chemical in one method of production of TATBTATB
TATB, or triaminotrinitrobenzene, is an aromatic explosive, based on the basic six-carbon benzene ring structure with three nitro functional groups and three amine groups attached, alternating around the ring....
, another explosive.
HNB was experimentally used as a gas source for explosively pumped gas dynamic laser
Gas dynamic laser
Gas Dynamic Laser is laser based on differences in relaxation velocities of molecular vibrational states.The laser medium gas has such properties that an energetically lower vibrational state relaxes faster than a higher vibrational state,...
. In this application, HNB and tetranitromethane
Tetranitromethane
Tetranitromethane or TNM is an organic oxidizer with chemical formula C4. Its chemical structure consists of four nitro groups attached to one carbon atom...
is preferred to more conventional explosives because the explosion products CO2 and N2 are a simple enough mixture to simulate gas dynamic processes and quite similar to conventional gas dynamic laser medium. The water and hydrogen products of many other explosives could interfere with vibrational states of CO2 in this type of laser.
Preparation
During World War II a method of synthesis of hexanitrobenzene was suggested in Germany, and the product was supposed to be manufactured on a semi-industrial scale according to the following scheme:- C6H3(NO2)3 → C6H3(NHOH)3 (partial reduction)
- C6H3(NHOH)3 → C6(NO2)3(NHOH)3 (nitration)
- C6(NO2)3(NHOH)3 → C6(NO2)6 (oxidation)
Complete nitration of benzene is practically impossible, because the nitro groups are deactivating groups
Deactivating groups
In organic chemistry, a deactivating group is a functional group attached to a benzene molecule that removes electron density from the benzene ring, making electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions slower and more complex relative to benzene...
for further nitration.
Additional properties
- ChapmanDavid Chapman (scientist)David Leonard Chapman FRS was an English physical chemist, whose name is associated with the Chapman-Jouget treatment and the Gouy-Chapman layer...
-Jouget detonation pressure: 43 GPa - Crystal Density: 2.01