Nitrogen-Rich Tetrazolo[1,5-b]pyridazine: Promising Building Block for Advanced Energetic Materials

Two Energetic Framework Materials Based on DNM-TNBI as Host Molecule: Effectively Coordinated by Different Cations

With the demand of develop outstanding-performance energetic materials, 1-(dinitromethyl)-4,4',5,5'-tetranitro-1H,1'H-2,2'-biimidazole (DNM-TNBI) emerged as a great contender (D: 9102 m ⋅ s-1; P: 37.6 GPa). However, the relatively poor thermal stability (Td: 142 °C) limits its practical application. In this study, DNM-TNBI as a host molecule to synthesize two new energetic open-framework materials by effectively coordinated with different cations. Their supramolecular structures were investigated and indicated that [DNM-TNBI2 -][2NH4 +] and [DNM-TNBI2 -][2K+] can be classified as a new energetic hydrogen-bonded ammonium framework (EHAF) and an energetic metal organic framework (EMOF). Meanwhile, their thermal stabilities are higher than that of DNM-TNBI and have satisfactory detonation performance ([DNM-TNBI2 -][2NH4 +], D: 8050 m ⋅ s-1, P: 26.4 GPa; [DNM-TNBI2 -][2K+], D: 8301 m ⋅ s-1, P: 30.8 GPa).

Highly Dense N-N-Bridged Dinitramino Bistriazole-Based 3D Metal-Organic Frameworks with Balanced Outstanding Energetic Performance

Due to the inherent conflict between energy and safety, the construction of energetic materials or energetic metal-organic frameworks (E-MOFs) with balanced thermal stability, sensitivity, and high detonation performance is challenging for chemists worldwide. In this regard, in recent times self-assembly of energetic ligands (high nitrogen- and oxygen-containing small molecules) with alkali metals were probed as a promising strategy to build high-energy materials with excellent density, insensitivity, stability, and detonation performance. Herein, based on the nitrogen-rich N,N'-([4,4'-bi(1,2,4-triazole)]-3,3'-dial)dinitramide (H2BDNBT) energetic ligand, two new environmentally benign E-MOFs including potassium [K2BDNBT]n (K-MOF) and sodium [Na2BDNBT]n (Na-MOF) have been introduced and characterized by NMR, IR, TGA-DSC, ICP-MS, PXRD, elemental analyses, and SCXRD. Interestingly, Na-MOF and K-MOF demonstrate solvent-free 3D dense frameworks having crystal densities of 2.16 and 2.14 g cm-3, respectively. Both the E-MOFs show high detonation velocity (VOD) of 8557-9724 m/s, detonation pressure (DP) of 30.41-36.97 GPa, positive heat of formation of 122.52-242.25 kJ mol-1, and insensitivity to mechanical stimuli such as impact and friction (IS = 30-40 J, FS > 360 N). Among them, Na-MOF has a detonation velocity (9724 m/s) superior to that of conventional explosives. Additionally, both the E-MOFs are highly heat-resistant, having higher decomposition (319 °C for K-MOF and 293 °C for Na-MOF) than the traditional explosives RDX (210 °C), HMX (279 °C), and CL-20 (221 °C). This stability is ascribed to the extensive structure and strong covalent interactions between BDNBT2- and K(I)/Na(I) ions. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we report dinitramino-based E-MOFs as highly stable secondary explosives, and Na-MOF may serve as a promising next-generation high-energy-density material for the replacement of presently used secondary thermally stable energetic materials such as RDX, HNS, HMX, and CL-20.

Pushing the Limit of Oxygen Balance on a Benzofuroxan Framework: K2DNDP as an Extremely Dense and Thermally Stable Material as a Substitute for Lead Azide

Because of environmental and health impacts, there is an ongoing necessity to develop sustainable primary explosives to replace existing lead-based analogues. Now we describe a potential primary explosive, dipotassium 4,6-dinitro-5,7-dioxidobenzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole 1-oxide (K2DNDP), which exhibits an excellent thermal stability (Tdec = 281 °C), positive oxygen balance (+4.79%), and a calculated crystal density of ρ = 2.274 g cm-3 at 100 K. Its physicochemical properties concomitantly with its straightforward synthesis make it a potential replacement for lead-based initiators.

Zwitterionic fused pyrazolo-triazole based high performing energetic materials

A series of nitrogen-rich fused energetic materials were synthesized from commercially available inexpensive starting materials and fully characterized using 1H and 13C NMR, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and DSC. The structure of zwitterionic compound 2 was supported by SCXRD data. Among all, 3 and 4 possess excellent detonation velocity (8956 and 9163 m s-1) and are insensitive towards friction (>360 N) and impact (10 J), having moderate to excellent thermal stability (171-262 °C). It is worth mentioning that the zwitterionic fused pyrazolo-triazole compound 2 and its energetic salts offer remarkable performance as new-generation thermally stable energetic materials.

Exploring a Fused Triazole-Tetrazine Binary CN Material for a Promising Initiating Substance

The pursuit of binary carbon-nitrogen (CN) materials with high density and good thermal stability presents a significant challenge due to the inherent trade-off between high-energy storage and low bond dissociation energy. In this study, we designed and synthesized (S)-1,2-bis(3-azido-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)diazene (BAzTD) and 2,9-diazidobis([1,2,4]-triazolo)[1,5-d:5',1'-f][1,2,3,4]tetrazine (DAzTT) through a straightforward reaction. Remarkably, DAzTT demonstrated a high density of 1.816 g·cm-3 (at 298 K) and a considerable thermal decomposition temperature of 216.86 °C. These properties outperform those of previously reported binary heterocyclic CN compounds and polyazido heterocyclic compounds. The quantum-chemical methods further substantiated the integral role of aromaticity as the driving force behind this difference. Additionally, the initiation capability of DAzTT was evaluated by a notably low minimum primary charge (MPC = 40 mg), surpassing conventional organic primary explosives, such as commercial 2-diazo-4,6-dinitrophenol (DDNP, MPC = 70 mg). The exceptional priming ability highlights the potential as an environmentally friendly replacement for toxic lead azide. DAzTT sets a new standard for binary CN compounds and provides a valuable precursor for high-nitrogen carbon nitride materials.

Synthesis and detonation characters of 3,4,5-1H-trinitropyrazole and its nitrogen-rich energetic salts

The development of energetic materials is still facing challenges due to the inherent contradiction between energy and sensitivity. Two new nitrogen-rich energetic salts of 3,4,5-1H-trinitropyrazole (HTNP) were synthesized. They are fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, NMR, MS and IR spectroscopy. The DSC and BAM tests were carried out as well. These TNP salts show high thermostability and high positive heat of formation. Their detonation performances were calculated by the EXPLO5 program. Most noteworthy is that DATr salt exhibits superior sensitivity and detonation performance comparable to secondary explosive RDX, making it promising for use as a new-generation green energetic material.

A three-dimensional energetic coordination compound (BLG-1) with excellent initiating ability for lead-free primary explosives

Exploration of advanced lead-free primary explosives is a challenging issue in the field of energetic materials. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel N-rich copper bromate energetic coordination compound (ECC) [Cu(ATRZ)(BrO3)2]n (BLG-1, ATRZ: 4,4'-azo-1,2,4-triazole) by a simple one-step reaction. BLG-1 is the first reported three-dimensional (3D) N-rich copper bromate ECC. Its interesting 3D reticular architecture contributed to its highest thermal decomposition temperature (Td: 226 °C) and crystal density (ρ: 2.69 g cm-3) among N-rich copper bromate ECCs. More importantly, a primary charge of BLG-1 as little as 3 mg could reliably detonate compressed RDX, and 1 mg could detonate CL-20. These incredible values indicated that BLG-1 had an ultra-powerful initiating ability far superior to that of previously reported primary explosives. BLG-1 had improved mechanical sensitivities (IS: 13 J; FS: 1 N) and electrostatic sensitivity (EDS: 240 mJ) compared with those of the typical lead-based primary explosive, lead azide (IS: 4J; FS: 0.75N; EDS: 5 mJ). In particular, BLG-1 had a low laser-initiation threshold of 13 mJ at 808 nm, suggesting that it could serve as a laser-ignitable primary explosive. This work suggests that BLG-1 is a promising candidate with engreat practical application prospects for lead-free primary explosives.

A promising perovskite primary explosive

A primary explosive is an ideal chemical substance for performing ignition in military and commercial applications. For over 150 years, nearly all of the developed primary explosives have suffered from various issues, such as troublesome syntheses, high toxicity, poor stability or/and weak ignition performance. Now we report an interesting example of a primary explosive with double perovskite framework, {(C6H14N2)2[Na(NH4)(IO4)6]}n (DPPE-1), which was synthesized using a simple green one-pot method in an aqueous solution at room temperature. DPPE-1 is free of heavy metals, toxic organic components, and doesn't involve any explosive precursors. It exhibits good stability towards air, moisture, sunlight, and heat and has acceptable mechanical sensitivities. It affords ignition performance on par with the most powerful primary explosives reported to date. DPPE-1 promises to meet the challenges existing with current primary explosives, and this work could trigger more extensive applications of perovskite.

Bacterial chemotaxis of herbicide atrazine provides an insight into the degradation mechanism through intermediates hydroxyatrazine, N-N-isopropylammelide, and cyanuric acid compounds

In recent times, the herbicide atrazine (ATZ) has been commonly used before and after the cultivation of crop plants to manage grassy weeds. Despite its effect, the toxic residues of ATZ affect soil fertility and crop yield. Hence, the current study is focused on providing insight into the degradation mechanism of the herbicide atrazine through bacterial chemotaxis involving intermediates responsive to degradation. A bacterium was isolated from ATZ-contaminated soil and identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri based on its morphology, biochemical and molecular characterization. Upon ultra-performance liquid chromatography analysis, the free cells of isolated bacterium strain was found to utilize 174 μg/L of ATZ after 3-days of incubation on a mineral salt medium containing 200 μg/L of ATZ as a sole carbon source. It was observed that immobilized based degradation of ATZ yielded 198 μg/L and 190 μg/L by the cells entrapped with silica beads and sponge, respectively. Furthermore, the liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy revealed that the secretion of three significant metabolites, namely, cyanuric acid, hydroxyatrazine and N- N-Isopropylammelide is responsive to the biodegradation of ATZ by the bacterium. Collectively, this research demonstrated that bacterium strains are the most potent agent for removing toxic pollutants from the environment, thereby enhancing crop yield and soil fertility with long-term environmental benefits.

Periodate-Based Perovskite Energetic Materials: A Strategy for High-Energy Primary Explosives

The requirements for high energy and green primary explosives are more and more stringent because of the rising demand in the application of micro initiation explosive devices. Four new energetic compounds with powerful initiation ability are reported and their performances are experimentally proven as designed, including non-perovskites ([H2 DABCO](H4 IO6 )2 ·2H2 O, named TDPI-0) and perovskitoid energetic materials (PEMs) ([H2 DABCO][M(IO4 )3 ]; DABCO=1,4-Diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, M=Na+ , K+ , and NH4 + for TDPI-1, -2, and -4, respectively). The tolerance factor is first introduced to guide the design of perovskitoid energetic materials (PEMs). In conjunction with [H2 DABCO](ClO4 )2 ·H2 O (DAP-0) and [H2 DABCO][M(ClO4 )3 ] (M=Na+ , K+ , and NH4 + for DAP-1, -2, and -4), the physiochemical properties of the two series are investigated between PEMs and non-perovskites (TDPI-0 and DAP-0). The experimental results show that PEMs have great advantages in improving the thermal stability, detonation performance, initiation capability, and regulating sensitivity. The influence of X-site replacement is illustrated by hard-soft-acid-base (HSAB) theory. Especially, TDPIs possess much stronger initiation capability than DAPs, which indicates that periodate salts are in favor of deflagration-to-detonation transition. Therefore, PEMs provide a simple and feasible method for designing advanced high energy materials with adjustable properties.

Combining the advantages of 1,3,4-oxadiazole and tetrazole enables achieving high-energy insensitive materials

Combining the advantages of energetic heterocycles to achieve high-energy insensitive explosives is a significant challenge. Herein, based on high-energy tetrazole rings and highly stable 1,3,4-oxadiazole rings, a series of novel nitrogen rich energetic compounds 5-9 were successfully constructed. The related compounds were fully characterized by EA, FT-IR, NMR, DSC, and MS, and compounds 6-9 were further confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction. Among them, the energetic ion salts 6-8 show high thermal stability (Tdec > 250 °C) and low mechanical sensitivity (IS > 40 J, FS > 360 N), as well as good energy properties (7552-8050 m s-1, 19.4-23.3 GPa). In particular, the azo compound 9 exhibits competent comprehensive performances (Tdec = 226.2 °C, D = 8502 m s-1, P = 28.9 GPa, IS = 32 J, FS = 320 N). These results suggest that the strategy of integrating tetrazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole and employing an azo structure as a bridging unit are effective approaches to construct high-energy insensitive materials.

Metal Salts of 4-Chloro-3,5-dinitropyrazole for Promising Eco-Friendly Primary Colors Pyrotechnics

The construction and design of pyrotechnics with superior performance is not only a task of great significance but also a tremendous challenge. In this regard, we present the syntheses of novel green primary colors pyrotechnics (red, green, and blue light-generating pyrotechnics) by employing 4-chloro-3,5-dinitropyrazole (CDNP) as a multifunctional raw material. CDNP contains a flame enhancer, oxygen-rich functional group, and nitrogen heterocyclic combustibles, which contribute to the high performance of the pyrotechnics. The characteristic elements (strontium, barium, and copper) that impart color to the flame are combined with the CDNP to synthesize the primary colors pyrotechnics by an "all-in-one" strategy. The structures of three energetic metal salts (EMS-1, EMS-2, and EMS-3) are completely characterized, and their thermal stability, sensitivity, ignition performance, and color purity are systematically evaluated. All EMSs show excellent thermal stability and low mechanical sensitivities (>330 °C, >40 J, >360 N). Moreover, the EMSs demonstrate successful ignition and combustion under laser conditions and roasting test conditions, producing bright characteristic flames. Chromaticity analysis reveals that the three EMSs possess good color purities of 91, 80, and 70%, respectively. Consequently, the three integrated pyrotechnics exhibit exceptional combustion properties, highlighting their potential for use in various pyrotechnic applications.

Can Catenated Nitrogen Compounds with Amine-like Structures Become Candidates for High-Energy-Density Compounds?

The worthwhile idea of whether amine-like catenated nitrogen compounds are stable enough to be used as high-energy materials was proposed and answered. Abstracting the NH3 structure into NR3 (R is the substituent) yields a new class of amine-like catenated nitrogen compounds. Most of the azole ring structures have a high nitrogen content and stability. Inspired by this idea, a series of new amine-like catenated nitrogen compounds (A1 to H5) were designed, and their basic energetic properties were calculated. The results showed that (1) amine-like molecular structures are often characterized by low density; however, the density of these compounds increases as the number of nitrogens in the azole ring increases; (2) these catenated nitrogen compounds generally have extremely high enthalpies of formation (882.91-2652.03 kJ/mol), and the detonation velocity of some compounds exceeds 9254.00 m/s; (3) the detonation performance of amine-like catenated nitrogen compounds designed based on imidazole and pyrazole rings is poor due to their low nitrogen content; and (4) the bond dissociation enthalpy of trigger bonds of most compounds is higher than 84 kJ/mol, indicating that these compounds have a certain thermodynamic stability. In summary, amine-like catenated nitrogen compounds have the potential to become energetic compounds with excellent detonation properties and should be considered to be synthesized by experimental chemists.

Novel fluorine-containing energetic materials: how potential are they? A computational study of detonation performance

CONTEXT

High-energy density materials (HEDMs) have emerged as a research focus due to their advantageous ultra-high detonation performance and better sensitivity. The primary aim of this study revolves around crafting HEDMs that strike a delicate balance between exceptional performance and minimal sensitivity. Density functional theory (DFT) was utilized to evaluate the geometric structures, energies, densities, energy properties, and sensitivities of 39 designed derivatives. The theoretical density (ρ) and heat of formation (HOF) were used to estimate the detonation velocity (D) and pressure (P) of the title compounds. Our study shows that the introduction of fluorine-containing substituents or fluorine-free substituents into the CHOFN backbone or the CHON backbone can significantly enhance the detonation performance of derivatives. Derivative B1 exhibits the better overall performance, including superior density, detonation performance, and sensitivity (P = 58.89 GPa, D = 8.02 km/s, ρ = 1.93 g/cm³, and characteristic height H₅₀ = 34.6 cm). Our molecular design strategy contributes to the development of more novel HEDMs with excellent detonation performance and stability. It also marks a significant step towards a material engineering era guided by theory-based rational design.

METHODS

GaussView 6.0 was used for construction of molecular system coordinates, and Gaussian 16 was used to obtain optimal structures, energies, and volumes of all compounds at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. It was characterized to be the local energy minimum on the potential energy surface without imaginary frequencies at the same theory level. Molecular weight, isosurface area, and overall variance were obtained using the Multiwfn 3.3. The detonation properties of the materials were analyzed using the C-J thermodynamic detonation theory. Our broad analysis facilitated an extensive assessment of these properties.

Poly Tetrazole Containing Thermally Stable and Insensitive Alkali Metal-Based 3D Energetic Metal-Organic Frameworks

Poly tetrazole-containing thermally stable and insensitive alkali metal-based 3D energetic metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs) are promising high energy density materials to balance the sensitivity, stability, and detonation performance of explosives in defense, space, and civilian applications. Herein, the self-assembly of L^3- ligand with alkali metals Na(I) and K(I) was prepared at ambient conditions, introducing two new EMOFs, [Na₃(L)₃(H₂O)₆]_n (1) and [K₃(L)₃(H₂O)₃]_n (2). Single crystal analysis reveals that Na-MOF (1) exhibited a 3D wave-like supramolecular structure with significant hydrogen bonding among the layers, while K-MOF (2) also featured a 3D framework. Both EMOFs were thoroughly characterized by NMR, IR, PXRD, and TGA/DSC analyses. Compounds 1 and 2 show excellent thermal decomposition T_d = 344 and 337 °C, respectively, compared to the presently used benchmark explosives RDX (210 °C), HMX (279 °C), and HNS (318 °C), which is attributed to structural reinforcement induced by extensive coordination. They also show remarkable detonation performance (VOD = 8500 m s^-1, 7320 m s^-1, DP = 26.74 GPa, 20 GPa for 1 and 2, respectively) and insensitivity toward impact and friction (IS ≥ 40 J, FS ≥ 360 N for 1; IS ≥ 40 J, FS ≥ 360 N for 2). Their excellent synthetic feasibility and energetic performance suggest that they are the perfect blend for the replacement of present benchmark explosives such as HNS, RDX, and HMX.

Toward High-Energy and Low-Sensitivity Energetic Materials Based on a Fused [5,5,5,6]-Tetracyclic Backbone

A route for fused [5,5,5,6]-tetracyclic energetic compounds based on the facile cyclization reaction has been explored. Fused [5,5,5,6]-tetracyclic compound 4 shows a high measured density (1.924 g cm^-3), a low sensitivity (IS = 10 J, and FS = 144 N), and an excellent detonation velocity (9241 m s^-1), which are much better than those of RDX. The results indicate that compound 4 is a potential candidate as a secondary explosive and provide new insight into the construction of fused polycyclic heterocycles.

An Efficient One-Step Reaction for the Preparation of Advanced Fused Bistetrazole-Based Primary Explosives

The first example of [5,6,5]-tricyclic bistetrazole-fused energetic materials has been obtained through a one-step reaction from commercial and inexpensive 4,6-dichloro-5-nitropyrimidine. This one-step reaction including nucleophilic substitution, nucleophilic addition, cyclization, and electron transfer is rarely reported, and the reaction mechanism and scope is well investigated. Among target compounds, organic salts exhibit higher detonation velocities (D: 8898-9077 m s^-1) and lower sensitivities (IS: 16-20 J) than traditional high energy explosive RDX (D = 8795 m s^-1; IS = 7.5 J). In addition, the potassium salt of 5-azido-10-nitro-bis(tetrazolo)[1,5-c:5',1'-f]pyrimidin (DTAT-K) possesses excellent priming ability, comparable to traditional primary explosive Pb(N₃)₂, and ultralow minimum primary charge (MPC = 10 mg), which is the lowest MPC among the reported potassium-based primary explosives. The simple synthesis route, free of heavy metal and expensive raw materials, makes it promising to quickly realize this material in large-scale industrial production as a green primary explosive. This work accelerates the upgrade of green primary explosives and enriches future prospects for the design of energetic materials.

Challenging the Limitations of Tetranitro Biimidazole through Introducing a gem-Dinitromethyl Scaffold

A gem-dinitromethyl group was successfully introduced into the TNBI·2H₂O structure (TNBI: 4,4',5,5'-tetranitro-2,2'-bi-1H-imidazole) to obtain 1-(dinitromethyl)-4,4',5,5'-tetranitro-1H,1'H-2,2'-biimidazole (DNM-TNBI). Benefiting from the transformation of an N-H proton into a gem-dinitromethyl group, the current limitations of TNBI were well solved. More importantly, DNM-TNBI has high density (1.92 g·cm^-3, 298 K), good oxygen balance (15.3%), and excellent detonation properties (D_v = 9102 m·s^-1, P = 37.6 GPa), suggesting that it has great potential as an oxidizer or a high-performance energetic material.

Three-Dimensional Metal-Organic Frameworks as Super Heat-Resistant Explosives: Potassium 4,4'-Oxybis[3,3'-(5-tetrazol)]furazan and Potassium (1,2,4-Triazol-3-yl)tetrazole

Heat-resistant explosives play an irreplaceable role in specialized applications. Two energetic metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs), potassium 4,4'-oxybis[3,3'-(5-tetrazol)]furazan and potassium (1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)tetrazole, featuring a three-dimensional metal-organic framework structure, were first synthesized and characterized by chemical (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS, IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal XRD) and physicochemical analyses (sensitivity toward friction, impact, electrostatic, and DSC-TGA test). The new 3D EMOFs were found to show high thermostability, highly positive heat of formation, and suitable sensitivities. The Hirshfeld surface was further analyzed in order to explore the effect on sensitivities. Their detonation properties (detonation velocity, detonation pressure, etc.) were calculated by the EXPLO5 program. K₂NTT exhibits extremely high decomposition temperatures of up to 361 °C; meanwhile, its detonation performance is comparable to that of TATB and other energetic potassium salts, which makes it a promising heat-resistant explosive.

Effects of pressure on structural, electronic, optical, and mechanical properties of nitrogen-rich energetic material: 6-azido-8-nitrotetrazolo[1,5-b]pyridazine-7-amine (3at)

CONTEXT AND RESULTS

6-Azido-8-nitrotetrazolo[1,5-b]pyridazine-7-amine (3at) is a promising green energetic material, which meets the development requirements of environment-friendly explosives. By discussing the relationship between lattice parameters and pressure, it is found that the compression ratio indicates anisotropy of compressibility. And bond lengths get shorter under pressure, resulting in stronger intermolecular bonds. The N₃ group rotates under pressure. And then, the optical properties basically change regularly with the change of pressure. As the pressure increases, the absorption range widens. In the low energy interval, it shows transparency, and then with the increase of energy and pressure, it shows better optical activity. With the increase of pressure and energy, the absorption coefficient increases, representing that the optical activity becomes high. Finally, according to the analysis of mechanical properties, 3at exhibited brittle behavior at 0 GPa and 100 GPa, while at 10 to 90 GPa, the values of ν and B/G are malleable.

COMPUTATIONAL AND THEORETICAL TECHNIQUES

Based on density functional theory, the crystal parameters, electronic properties, optical properties, and elastic and mechanical properties of 3at under different pressures were studied theoretically. The GGA-PW91+OBS method was used to calculate the physical parameters under pressure, such as lattice parameters, energy band structures, dielectric function, refractive index, absorption coefficient, and elastic constants. Physical properties under (3at) pressure are predicted.

Facile synthesis of thermally stable tetrazolo[1,5-b][1,2,4]triazine substituted energetic materials: synthesis and characterization

Various thermally stable energetic materials with high nitrogen content, low sensitivity and better detonation performance were synthesized. The versatile functionalization of 1,2,4-triazine involving the introduction of oxadiazole and tetrazole is discussed. All the compounds were fully characterized using IR, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Compounds 2, 3, 9 and 12 were further verified using single-crystal X-ray analysis. Compound 9 can be considered a melt-cast explosive due to its lower onset melting temperature (112 °C). The detonation velocity, pressure, density, and heat of formation of all the synthesized compounds range between 7056 and 8212 m s^-1, 17.57 and 23.78 GPa, 1.70 and 1.81 g cm^-1, and 43 and 644 kJ mol^-1, respectively. Due to the high nitrogen percentage (53 to >72%), these molecules can be used in car airbag applications. Due to the high thermal stability (>220 °C) and lower sensitivity, these compounds can be potentially used as high-performing thermally stable secondary energetic materials.

Highly Selective Nitroamino Isomerization Guided by Proton Transport Dynamics: Full-Nitroamino Imidazole[4,5-d]pyridazine Fused-Ring System

Due to the advantage of the hydrogen bond system formed by nitroamino isomerization, by the calculations of hydrogen transfer in reported nitroamino explosives, the proton transport dynamics was first proposed to predict the nitroamino isomerization of energetic materials. With the calculated results of zero-point energy, the full-nitroamino fused energetic materials, 2,4-nitroamino-7-nitroimino-1,5-dihydro-4H-imidazolo[4,5-d]pyridazine (FNPI-1) and 2,2',7,7'-tetranitromino-4,4'-azo-imidazolo[4,5-d]pyridazine (FNPI-2) were designed and successfully synthesized. The highly selective nitroamino isomerization of neutral compound FNPI-1 is shown by X-ray diffraction. After the hydrogen transfer occurs, the intermolecular hydrogen bonds will greatly promote tight stacking, which enhances the density and thus a series of comprehensive properties of energetic materials. The theoretical calculations of zero-point energy explain perfectly the selectivity of hydrogen transfer between the nitroamino groups and the fused-ring skeleton for FNPI-1. The hydrogen atom transfer and selective isomerization of nitroamino energetic materials can be accurately predicted following proton transport dynamics, which provides computational bases and new ideas for the efficient design of fully nitroamino-based explosives.

Promising Thermally Stable Energetic Materials with the Combination of Pyrazole-1,3,4-Oxadiazole and Pyrazole-1,2,4-Triazole Backbones: Facile Synthesis and Energetic Performance

Thermally stable energetic materials have broad applications in the deep mining, oil and natural exploration, and aerospace industries. The quest for thermally stable (heat-resistant) energetic materials with high energy output and low sensitivity has fascinated many researchers worldwide. In this study, two different series of thermally stable energetic materials and salts based on pyrazole-oxadiazole and pyrazole-triazole (3-23) with different explosophoric groups have been synthesized in a simple and straightforward manner. All the newly synthesized compounds were fully characterized by IR, ESI-MS, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry measurements. The structures of 3, 7, and 22 were supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The density, heat of formation, and energetic properties (detonation velocity and detonation pressure) of all the compounds range between 1.75 and 1.94 g cm-3, 0.73 to 2.44 kJ g-1, 7689 to 9139 m s-1, and 23.3 to 31.5 GPa, respectively. All the compounds are insensitive to impact (>30 J) and friction (>360 N). In addition, compounds 4, 6, 10, 14, 17, 21, 22, and 23 show high onset decomposition temperature (Td between 238 and 397 °C) than the benchmark energetic materials RDX (Td = 210 °C), HMX (279 °C), and thermally stable HNS (318 °C). It is noteworthy that the pyrazole-oxadiazole and pyrazole-triazole backbones greatly influence their physicochemical and energetic properties. Overall, this study offers a perspective on insensitive and thermally stable nitrogen-rich materials and explores the relationship between the structure and performance.

Tri-explosophoric groups driven fused energetic heterocycles featuring superior energetic and safety performances outperforms HMX

The design and synthesis of novel energetic compounds with integrated properties of high density, high energy, good thermal stability and sensitivities is particularly challenging due to the inherent contradiction between energy and safety for energetic compounds. In this study, a novel structure of 4-amino-7,8-dinitropyrazolo-[5,1-d] [1,2,3,5]-tetrazine 2-oxide (BITE-101) is designed and synthesized in three steps. With the help of the complementary advantages of different explosophoric groups and diverse weak interactions, BITE-101 is superior to the benchmark explosive HMX in all respects, including higher density of 1.957 g·cm^-3, highest decomposition temperature of 295 °C (onset) among CHON-based high explosives to date and superior detonation velocity and pressure (D: 9314 m·s^-1, P: 39.3 GPa), impact and friction sensitivities (IS: 18 J, FS: 128 N), thereby showing great potential for practical application as replacement for HMX, the most powerful military explosive in current use.

C-C bonded bis-5,6 fused triazole-triazine compound: an advanced heat-resistant explosive with high energy and low sensitivity

It is still an urgent problem in the field of energetic materials to explore the synthesis of heat-resistant compounds with balanced energy and thermal stability through simple synthetic routes. Recently, fused compounds are considered to provide a promising framework for the construction of ideal heat-resistant compounds. In this study, three novel C-C bonded bis-5,6 fused triazole-triazine compounds, 3,3'-dinitro-[7,7'-bi[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine]-4,4'-diamine (2), 4,4'-diamino-[7,7'-bi[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine]-3,3'-dicarbonitrile (3), and 3,3'-di(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-[7,7'-bi[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine]-4,4'-diamine (4), were synthesized by a simple method. Compound 2 exhibited an approaching detonation velocity of 8837 m s^-1 compared with that of the traditional high energy explosive RDX velocity of 8795 m s^-1, while its thermal stability (T_d = 327 °C) was comparable to that of the heat-resistant explosive HNS (T_d = 318 °C). At the same time, the double fused compound 2 also realized high density (1.90 g cm^-3) and extremely low sensitivity (FS > 360 N, IS > 40 J). The above good comprehensive properties prove that compound 2 can be used as a potential insensitive high-energy heat-resistant explosive. In addition, the effects of the crystal structure on the sensitivity and thermal stability were studied using the quantum chemical methods. These results imply that the formation of double fused ring compounds by the ring closing reaction at symmetrical positions is an ideal strategy for the development of advanced heat-resistant explosives.

Series of Azido and Fused-Tetrazole Explosives: Combining Good Thermal Stability and Low Sensitivity

The introduction of azido groups into the energetic skeleton has the advantages of increasing the energy level. In this work, a series of azido compounds with good stability and low sensitivity as well as tetrazole-fused compounds based on energetic salts are synthesized. The detonation pressures and velocities of these new compounds fall in the ranges of 18.9-27.3 GPa and 7153-8450 m s^-1, respectively. The detonation velocity of the tetrazole-fused compounds based on the potassium salts 3, 6, and 7 are 7810, 7153, and 7989 m s^-1, respectively. Also, their decomposition temperatures (244, 237, and 240 °C, respectively) are higher than that of traditional explosive RDX (204 °C). Notably, two representative compounds 2 and 5 possess higher decomposition temperature (2: 196 °C and 5: 178 °C) and overall detonation properties (2: D = 8129 m s^-1 and P = 26.6 GPa and 5: D = 8336 m s^-1 and P = 27.3 GPa) as well as relativity lower sensitivities (2: IS = 12 J and FS = 240 N and 5: IS = 10 J and FS = 144 N) than that of primary explosive 2-diazo-4,6-dinitrophenol (T_d = 157 °C, D = 6900 m s^-1, P = 24.7 GPa, IS = 1 J, and FS = 24.7 N). Moreover, the initiation capacity of compounds 2 and 5 was also assessed through the initiation tests. The results indicate that the two compounds could be a promising environmentally friendly primary explosive.

1,3,5-Tris[(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)methyl]isocyanurate and Its Tricationic Salts as Thermostable and Insensitive Energetic Materials

Various energetic salts (3a-f) were obtained from 1,3,5-tris[(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)methyl]isocyanurate (3), while N2,N4,N6-tri(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (5) and N,N'-{6-[(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)amino]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl}bis[N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)nitramide] (6) were obtained from cyanuric chloride via a simple, efficient two-step synthetic route from inexpensive starting materials. Compounds 3a-f and 6 show excellent detonation properties (VOD = 7876-8832 m s^-1, and DP = 20.73-30.0 GPa), a high nitrogen content (>62%), and high positive heats of formation (205.2-1888.9 kJ mol^-1) with excellent thermostability and remarkable insensitivity.

Surprising Chemistry of 6-Azidotetrazolo[5,1-a]phthalazine: What a Purported Natural Product Reveals about the Polymorphism of Explosives

6-Azidotetrazolo[5,1-a]phthalazine (ATPH) is a nitrogen-rich compound of surprisingly broad interest. It is purported to be a natural product, yet it is closely related to substances developed as explosives and is highly polymorphic despite having a nearly planar structure with little flexibility. Seven solid forms of ATPH have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures show diverse patterns of molecular organization, including both stacked sheets and herringbone packing. In all cases, N···N and C-H···N interactions play key roles in ensuring molecular cohesion. The high polymorphism of ATPH appears to arise in part from the ability of virtually every atom of nitrogen and hydrogen in the molecule to take part in close N···N and C-H···N contacts. As a result, adjacent molecules can adopt many different relative orientations that are energetically similar, thereby generating a polymorphic landscape with an unusually high density of potential structures. This landscape has been explored in detail by the computational prediction of crystal structures. Studying ATPH has provided insights into the field of energetic materials, where access to multiple polymorphs can be used to improve performance and clarify how it depends on molecular packing. In addition, our work with ATPH shows how valuable insights into molecular crystallization, often gleaned from statistical analyses of structural databases, can also come from in-depth empirical and theoretical studies of single compounds that show distinctive behavior.

Accelerated discovery of thermostable high-energy materials with intramolecular donor-acceptor building blocks

A domain-related data search promoted triazolotriazine-fused energetic scaffold filtration with combinatorial design to alleviate the lack of thermostable high-energy materials; 16 candidates were discovered that may show promising energy and safety performance, as well as excellent thermal stability. Novel fused triazolo-1,2,4-triazine energetic material 7-nitro-3-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-4-amine-2-oxide (Candidate No. 4) with excellent thermal stability, high energy performance and low sensitivity was developed successfully by using a facile N-oxide synthetic method. Our findings may be applicable to a wider range of materials and prove equally powerful for searching for other high-performing energetic materials.

Synthetic Strategies Toward Nitrogen-Rich Energetic Compounds Via the Reaction Characteristics of Cyanofurazan/Furoxan

The structural units of amino-/cyano-substituted furazans and furoxans played significant roles in the synthesis of nitrogen-rich energetic compounds. This account focused on the synthetic strategies toward nitrogen-rich energetic compounds through the transformations based on cyanofurazan/furoxan structures, including 3-amino-4-cyanofurazan, 4-amino-3-cyano furoxan, 3,4-dicyanofurazan, and 3,4-dicyanofuroxan. The synthetic strategies toward seven kinds of nitrogen-rich energetic compounds, such as azo (azoxy)-bridged, ether-bridged, methylene-bridged, hybrid furazan/furoxan-tetrazole–based, tandem furoxan–based, hybrid furazan-isofurazan–based, hybrid furoxan-isoxazole–based and fused framework–based energetic compounds were fully reviewed, with the corresponding reaction mechanisms toward the nitrogen-rich aromatic frameworks and examples of using the frameworks to create high energetic substances highlighted and discussed. The energetic properties of typical nitrogen-rich energetic compounds had also been compared and summarized.

Polynitro-Functionalized Azopyrazole with High Performance and Low Sensitivity as Novel Energetic Materials

The development of energetic materials is still facing a huge challenge because the relationship between energy and sensitivity is usually contradictory: high energy is always accompanied with low sensitivity. Here, a high-energy, low-sensitivity energetic polynitro-functionalized azopyrazole (TNAP) and its energetic salts have been synthesized. The structural characterization of these compounds was analyzed by elemental analysis, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies, and infrared spectroscopy. The single-crystal structure of compounds K₂TNAP, TNAP, 5, and 6 was obtained by X-ray diffraction, and K₂TNAP is a novel energetic metal-organic framework. The calculated detonation properties of TNAP (9040 m s^-1 and 36.0 GPa) are superior to that of RDX (8796 m s^-1 and 33.6 GPa). In addition, TNAP also has lower mechanical sensitivity (IS > 40 J, FS = 244 N) and higher decomposition temperature (T_d = 221 °C) than RDX (IS = 7.4 J, FS = 120 N, and T_d = 204 °C). These experimental results suggest that TNAP may become a new candidate for secondary explosives.

Krapcho Decarboxylation of Ethyl-Carbazate: Synthetic Approach toward 1,1'-Diamino-5,5'-bistetrazole and Its Utilization as a High-Performing Metal-Free Initiator

1,1'-Diamino-5,5'-bistetrazole (C₂H₄N₁₀), a highly nitrogen-containing compound with promising energetic characteristics, is available through a classic organic reaction protocol applied on an inorganic azole system. This is the only Krapcho reaction on a carbamate system described in the literature so far. 1,1'-Diamino-5,5'-bistetrazole was extensively characterized through multinuclear spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The sensitivity values were measured, and detonation values were calculated. Its capability to initiate pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) was successfully demonstrated.

Tunable 1,2,3-triazole-N-oxides towards high energy density materials: theoretical insight into structure–property correlations

A new family of energetic derivatives based on functionalized bridged 1,2,3-triazole-N-oxides was designed, and their properties as well as comprehensive correlations were investigated.

15N Chemical Shifts and JNN-Couplings as Diagnostic Tools for Determination of the Azide-Tetrazole Equilibrium in Tetrazoloazines

Selectively ¹⁵N-labeled tetrazolo[1,5-b][1,2,4]triazines and tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines bearing one, two, or three ¹⁵N labels were synthesized. The synthesized compounds were studied by ¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopy in DMSO and TFA solutions, where the azide-tetrazole equilibrium can lead to the formation of two tetrazole (T, T') isomers and one azide (A) isomer for each compound. Incorporation of the ¹⁵N-label(s) leads to the appearance of ¹⁵N-¹⁵N coupling constants (J_NN), which can be easily measured via simple 1D ¹⁵N NMR spectra, even at natural abundance between labeled and unlabeled ¹⁵N atoms. The chemical shifts for the ¹⁵N nuclei in the azole moiety are very sensitive to the ring opening and azide formation, thus providing information about the azido-tetrazole equilibrium. At the same time, the ^1-2J_NN couplings between ¹⁵N-labeled atoms in the azole and azine fragments unambiguously determine the fusion type between tetrazole and azine rings in the cyclic isomers T and T'. Thus, combined analysis of ¹⁵N chemical shifts and J_NN values in selectively isotope-enriched compounds provides an effective diagnostic tool for direct structural determination of tetrazole isomers and azide form in solution. This method was found to be the most simple and efficient way to study the azido-tetrazole equilibrium.

Multisubstituted Imidazolo[4,5-d]pyridazine Fused Ring System Resulting from Nitroamine-Nitroimine Tautomerism

A series of multisubstituted imidazolo[4,5-d]pyridazine fused ring compounds was synthesized in which nitroamine-nitroimine tautomerism is exhibited. The electrostatic potential indicates that the nitroimino group has the lowest negative value, second only to the nitro group, culminating in the nitroamino area, which has the highest positive value. In addition, a strong hydrogen bond system which arises from the newly formed nitroimino tautomer suggests that the nitroimino is more stable than its nitroamino analogue.

Design of functionalized bridged 1,2,4-triazole N-oxides as high energy density materials and their comprehensive correlations

The demand for high energy density materials (HEDMs) remains a major challenge. Density functional theory (DFT) methods were employed to design a new family of bridged 1,2,4-triazole N-oxides by the manipulation of the linkage and oxygen-containing groups. The optimized geometry, electronic properties, energetic properties and sensitivities of new 40 molecules in this study were extensively evaluated. These designed compounds exhibit high densities (1.87-1.98 g cm^-3), condensed-phase heat of formation values (457.31-986.40 kJ mol^-1), impressive values for detonation velocity (9.28-9.49 km s^-1) and detonation pressure (21.22-41.31 GPa). Their sensitivities (impact, electrostatic, and shock) were calculated and compared with 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TABT) and 4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan (DNBF). Some new compounds 4,4'-trinitro-5,5'-bridged-bis-1,2,4-triazole-2,2'-diol (TN1-TN8) and 4,4'-dinitro-5,5'-ammonia-bis-1,2,4-triazole-2,2'-diol (DN3) were distinguished from this system, making them promising candidates for HEDMs. In addition, we found that the gas-relative parameters (detonation heat, oxygen balance, φ) were as important as the density, which were highly correlated to the detonation properties (P, D). Their comprehensive correlations should also be considered in the design of new energetic molecules.

Low-Power Laser Ignition of an Antenna-Type Secondary Energetic Copper Complex: Synthesis, Characterization, Evaluation, and Ignition Mechanism Studies

In recent years, development of new energetic compounds and formulations, suitable for ignition with relatively low-power lasers, is a highly active and competitive field of research. The main goal of these efforts is focused on achieving and providing much safer solutions for various detonator and initiator systems. In this work, we prepared, characterized, and studied thermal and ignition properties of a new laser-ignitable compound, based on the 5,6-bis(ethylnitroamino)-N'2,N'3-dihydroxypyrazine-2,3-bis(carboximidamide) (DS3) proligand. This new energetic proligand was prepared in three steps, starting with 5,6-bis(ethylamino)-pyrazine-2,3-dicarbonitrile. Crystallography studies of the DS3-derived Cu(II) complex (DS4) revealed a unique stacked antenna-type structure of the latter compound. DS4 has an exothermal temperature of 154.5 °C and was calculated to exhibit a velocity of detonation of 6.36 km·s^-1 and a detonation pressure of 15.21 GPa. DS4 showed properties of a secondary explosive, having sensitivity to impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge of 8 J, 360 N, and 12 mJ, respectively. In order to study the mechanism of ignition by a laser (using a diode laser, 915 nm), we conducted a set of experiments that enabled us to characterize a photothermal ignition mechanism. Furthermore, we found that a single pulse, with a time duration of 1 ms and with a total energy of 4.6 mJ, was sufficient for achieving a consistent and full ignition of DS4. Dual-pulse experiments, with variable time intervals between the laser pulses, showed that DS4 undergoes ignition via a photothermal mechanism. Finally, calculating the chemical mechanism of the formation of the complex DS4 and modeling its anhydrous and hydrated crystal structures (density functional theory calculations using Gaussian and HASEM software) allowed us to pinpoint a more precise location of water molecules in experimental crystallographic data. These results suggest that DS4 has potential for further development to a higher technology readiness level and for integration into small-size safe detonator systems as for many civil, aerospace, and defense applications.

Self-Assembly of Nitrogen-Rich Heterocyclic Compounds with Oxidants for the Development of High-Energy Materials

The development of energetic materials with high energy and low sensitivity has attracted immense interests due to their widespread applications in aerospace technology and national defense. In this work, a promising self-assembly strategy was developed to prepare three high-energy materials (1-3) through the introduction of oxidant molecules into the crystal voids of the parent materials. The structures of these new materials were comprehensively examined by infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In these materials, three unique layer structures with hcb, sql, and interrupted sql topologies were observed, which were formed by the fused-ring-based energetic components. Windows with hexagonal, square, and rectangular structures were observed within these layer structures, which were occupied by H₂O₂, NO₃^-, and ClO₄^-, respectively. Oxidant molecules interacted with parent molecules via hydrogen bonds to form crystal structures of these materials. Moreover, the energetic property of these materials was estimated by computing methods. The calculation results revealed that these self-assembly materials exhibit excellent energetic properties. The highest energetic performance was observed for compound 3. The detonation velocity, detonation pressure, and specific impulse values were up to 9339 m·s^-1, 42.5 GPa, and 308 s, respectively, which were greater than those of HMX. Furthermore, these materials exhibited good sensitivity, which was closely related to their unique crystal structures. The high performance of these materials indicated that the self-assembly strategy should be a promising method for the development of novel energetic materials.