William D. Emmons

Chemistry of dinitroacetonitrile—I: Preparation and properties of dinitroacetonitrile and its salts

Abstract Two general routes for the preparation of dinitroacetonitrile are known. One method2 involving reduction of the intermediate trinitroacetonitrile has been modified and improved in both the preparative and degradative steps. Isolation of dinitroacetonitrile as its tetrahydrate, sodium, potassium, silver, ammonium, nitron and tetraphenylarsonium salts is described together with interesting features of solutions of these compounds. Halogenation of dinitroacetonitrile gave chloro- and bromo-derivatives which have been characterized. The occurrence and isolation of the interestng furoxandinitrile as a product of the nitration of cyanoacetic acid is discussed.Two general routes for the preparation of dinitroacetonitrile are known. One method2 involving reduction of the intermediate trinitroacetonitrile has been modified and improved in both the preparative and degradative steps. Isolation of dinitroacetonitrile as its tetrahydrate, sodium, potassium, silver, ammonium, nitron and tetraphenylarsonium salts is described together with interesting features of solutions of these compounds. Halogenation of dinitroacetonitrile gave chloro- and bromo-derivatives which have been characterized. The occurrence and isolation of the interestng furoxandinitrile as a product of the nitration of cyanoacetic acid is discussed.