Erythritol tetranitrate

Structural formula
General
Surname	Erythritol tetranitrate
other names	Erythritol granitrate 1,2,3,4-tetrakis (nitryloxy) butane ETN
Molecular formula	C 4 H 6 N 4 O 12
Brief description	colorless solid
External identifiers / databases
CAS number 7297-25-8 EC number 230-734-9 ECHA InfoCard 100.027.940 PubChem 5284553 ChemSpider 4447608 DrugBank DB01613 Wikidata Q417174
properties
Molar mass	302.11 g mol −1
Physical state	firmly
density	1.7219 g cm −3
Melting point	61 ° C
solubility	almost insoluble in water , soluble in acetone , ethanol and glycerine
safety instructions
GHS hazard labeling no classification available
As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions .

Erythritol tetranitrate (ETN) is an explosive , comparable to PETN (nitropenta). Nitroerythritol occurs as colorless crystals that melt at 61 ° C and decompose explosively at 120 ° C. Like glycerol trinitrate or pentaerythritol tetranitrate, erythritol tetranitrate is a nitric acid ester .

properties

ETN has a relatively high detonation speed of 8000 m / s to 8100 m / s in the maximum density of 1.7219 g / cm³. The deflagration temperature is 154–160 ° C, the explosion heat is 6352 kJ / kg. Due to its low melting point, ETN is often used in pourable mixtures, with high safety risks due to the simultaneous low decomposition temperature. In addition to this critical property, the material is around 33% more sensitive to impact than PETN and cannot be stored for more than four years, which makes it unusable for military and civil purposes. The compound is insoluble in water, readily soluble in ethanol and methanol , and very soluble in acetone and some other ketones .

Oxygen balance

One of the properties of erythritol tetranitrate is that it has a positive oxygen balance. This means that the molecule contains more oxygen than is necessary to completely convert all the carbon and hydrogen present into carbon dioxide and water.

${\displaystyle \mathrm {C_{4}H_{6}N_{4}O_{12}\longrightarrow \ 4\ CO_{2}\ +\ 3\ H_{2}O\ +\ 2\ N_{2}\ +\ 1/2\ O_{2}} }$

Half a mole of oxygen remains , which can also oxidize other flammable substances.

Manufacturing

It is produced by treating the polyol erythritol with a nitrating acid mixture.

Legal

The purchase, manufacture and sale of erythritol tetranitrate fall under the Explosives Act in the Federal Republic of Germany .

swell

• Tadeusz Urbanski : Chemistry and Technology of Explosives. German publishing house for basic industry, Leipzig 1961.
• U.S. Patent Number 1,691,954 (Nov. 20, 1928) (Frank Bergheim)
• U.S. Patent Number 1,744,693 (Jan. 21, 1930) (Frank Bergheim)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e} entry on erythritol tetranitrate. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on June 14, 2014.
2. ↑ This substance has either not yet been classified with regard to its hazardousness or a reliable and citable source has not yet been found.