Marcela Jungová

Cis-1,3,4,6-Tetranitrooctahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole (BCHMX), its properties and initiation reactivity

Using the (15)N NMR chemical shifts of nitrogen atoms in nitramino groups of cis-1,3,4,6-tetranitrooctahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole (bicyclo-HMX or BCHMX) and additional 10 nitramines, we have assessed its reactivity in detonation, under the influence of impact, and by action of electric spark. It is stated that the thermal stability of BCHMX is higher than that of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX). The longest NN bond in the BCHMX molecule (1.412(4)A) is the cause for its higher impact reactivity, which is at the level of that of penterythritol tetranitrate (PETN). In the experimentally determined detonation velocity, BCMX can be slightly better performing than RDX. From the standpoint of friction sensitivity, BCHMX is similar to 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). Attention was also focused on the solubility-temperature dependence of BCHMX in acetone, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, dimethyl sulfoxide, tetrahydrofurane, and nitromethane. X-ray crystallographic study of BCHMX (C(4)H(6)N(8)O(8), M(r)=294.17), has been carried out at the temperature of 150K with the following results: a=8.5430(8), b=6.9480(6), c=8.7780(8)A, alpha=90.0(7) degrees , beta=102.452(11) degrees , gamma=90.0(9) degrees , V=508.777(8)A(3), Z=2, D(x)=1.920 g cm(-3), lambda(Mo Ka)=0.71073A, micro=0.169 cm(-1), F(000)=856, final R=0.0414 for 1254 independent observed reflections. In the BCHMX crystal there were found more short contacts in the molecular crystal of BCHMX data of Gilardi creating extensive supramolecular architecture.

A New View of Relationships of the N–N Bond Dissociation Energies of Cyclic Nitramines. Part II. Relationships with Impact Sensitivity

The values of bond dissociation energies, BDE, of the weakest N–N bonds and total energies, Etotal, of molecules have been calculated for 14 cyclic nitramines by means of the UB3LYP/6-31G* and UB3LYP/6-31 + G* // PM3 methods. The relationships found between the BDE values and logarithms of impact sensitivity of these nitramines, expressed as drop energy, Edr, are not unambiguous. Replacement of these BDE values by the BDE/Etotal ratio has not resulted in any simplification of the said relationships, but their quality improved, particularly with application of the UB3LYP/6-31 + G* // PM3 (UHF) method. The reason of ambiguity of the relationships found mainly lies in real conformation of the respective molecules and intermolecular force effects in real molecular crystals, which are included in neither of the two calculation methods.