Investigating the effect of nitration degree on nitroresorcinol-based energetic coordination compounds

Abstract. A common approach used to synthesize novel compounds to replace heavy metal based primary explosives is via the formation of an energetic coordination compound (ECC). This allows high variability through combination and alternation of metal center, ligands and anion. While often deployed anions for ECCs focus mainly on perchlorate, nitrate or azide, established organic energetic components such as styphnic acid have also been investigated. ECCs of dinitroresorcinol, which is based on the same structural moiety, have previously not been synthesized. The lacking nitro-group, suggest a lower energetic characteristic and higher stability of the resulting coordination compounds, though this hypothesis has not yet been proven. In the following work, ECCs containing 2,4-dinitroresorcinol (2,4-DNR), have been successfully synthesized, and their constitutions were determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). After each compound was confirmed to be pure by elemental analysis (EA), energetic and physiochemical properties such as thermal stability and sensitivities were measured. Furthermore, utilizing the collected data, the differences and characteristics caused by the lack of one nitro group, was investigated through comparison with equivalent copper styphnate based ECCs.