Nitro-, Cyano-, and Methylfuroxans, and Their Bis-Derivatives: From Green Primary to Melt-Cast Explosives

In the present work, we studied in detail the thermochemistry, thermal stability, mechanical sensitivity, and detonation performance for 20 nitro-, cyano-, and methyl derivatives of 1,2,5-oxadiazole-2-oxide (furoxan), along with their bis-derivatives. For all species studied, we also determined the reliable values of the gas-phase formation enthalpies using highly accurate multilevel procedures W2-F12 and/or W1-F12 in conjunction with the atomization energy approach and isodesmic reactions with the domain-based local pair natural orbital (DLPNO) modifications of the coupled-cluster techniques. Apart from this, we proposed reliable benchmark values of the formation enthalpies of furoxan and a number of its (azo)bis-derivatives. Additionally, we reported the previously unknown crystal structure of 3-cyano-4-nitrofuroxan. Among the monocyclic compounds, 3-nitro-4-cyclopropyl and dicyano derivatives of furoxan outperformed trinitrotoluene, a benchmark melt-cast explosive, exhibited decent thermal stability (decomposition temperature >200 °C) and insensitivity to mechanical stimuli while having notable volatility and low melting points. In turn, 4,4′-azobis-dicarbamoyl furoxan is proposed as a substitute of pentaerythritol tetranitrate, a benchmark brisant high explosive. Finally, the application prospects of 3,3′-azobis-dinitro furoxan, one of the most powerful energetic materials synthesized up to date, are limited due to the tremendously high mechanical sensitivity of this compound. Overall, the investigated derivatives of furoxan comprise multipurpose green energetic materials, including primary, secondary, melt-cast, low-sensitive explosives, and an energetic liquid.

Combinations of furoxan and 1,2,4-oxadiazole for the generation of high performance energetic materials

Several energetic materials, which are composed of furoxan and 1,2,4-oxadiazole backbones, were synthesized by nitrating 3,3'-bis(5-amino-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)-4,4'-azofuroxan (2) under 100 wt% HNO3 or 100 wt% HNO3/Ac2O followed by a cation metathesis. All synthesized compounds were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis, while 3,3'-bis(1,2,4-oxadiazol-5(4H)-one-3-yl)-4,4'-azofuroxan (3) and diammonium 3,3'-bis(5-nitramino-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-yl)-4,4'-azofuroxan (4a) were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The physicochemical and energetic properties of these compounds including density, thermal stability and sensitivity were investigated. Compounds 3 and 4 have high densities (3: 1.90 g cm-3, 4: 1.92 g cm-3), which are comparable to that of HMX (1.91 g cm-3). All energetic compounds show relatively high calculated heat of formation in the range from 504.79 kJ mol-1 to 1405.62 kJ mol-1. Their detonation properties were evaluated by EXPLO5 code using the measured density and calculated heat of formation. Among them, compounds 3 and 4 have good detonation performance (3: D = 8891 m s-1, P = 34.7 GPa, 4: D = 9505 m s-1, P = 41.3 GPa) and acceptable sensitivities (3: IS = 10 J, 4: IS = 4 J), which indicate their potential applications as high-performance energetic materials.

Azines: synthesis, structure, electronic structure and their applications

Azines (2,3-diaza-1,3-butadienes): structure, electronic structure, tautomerism, and their applications in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and materials chemistry.

Synthesis and performance study of methylene-bridged bis(nitramino-1,2,4-oxadiazole) and its energetic salts

A series of new energetic compounds based on methylene-bridged bis(nitramino-1,2,4-oxadiazole) was synthesized through a simple, safe and efficient route and fully characterized.

Synthesis and properties of 5,5′-dinitramino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) and its energetic salts

In order to develop high energy density materials, 5,5′-dinitramino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) (3, DNABO), a new heterocyclic energetic compound, was synthesized by the simple nitration of 5,5′-diamino-3,3′-bi(1,2,4-oxadiazole) (2) with 95% fuming nitric acid.

An interesting ring cleavage of a 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring

Ring-opening reaction: owing to the instability of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring under acidic conditions, unexpected compounds 2 and 3 were obtained. Compound 2 exhibits an oxygen balance of zero, density of 1.89 g cm⁻¹ and detonation velocity of 9307 m s⁻¹ as well as impact sensitivity of 20 J.

Azine-Hydrazone Tautomerism of Guanylhydrazones: Evidence for the Preference Toward the Azine Tautomer

Guanylhydrazones have been known for a long time and have wide applications in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and material science; however, little attention has been paid toward their electronic and structural properties. Quantum chemical analysis on several therapeutically important guanylhydrazones indicated that all of them prefer the azine tautomeric state (by about 3-12 kcal/mol). A set of simple and conjugated azines were designed using quantum chemical methods, whose tautomeric preference toward the azine tautomer is in the range of 3-8 kcal/mol. Twenty new azines were synthesized and isolated in their neutral state. Variable temperature NMR study suggests existence of the azine tautomer even at higher temperatures with no traces of the hydrazone tautomer. The crystal structures of two representative compounds confirmed that the title compounds prefer to exist in their azine tautomeric form.

Azine or hydrazone? The dilemma in amidinohydrazones

Amidinohydrazone, an important class of biologically active molecules, is generally represented as a hydrazone. This moiety prefers to exist in its azine tautomeric state and hence, influences the physical, chemical and receptor binding properties.

Synthesis and characterization of a new family of energetic salts based on guanidinium cation containing furoxanyl functionality

A new family of energetic salts based on a guanidinium cation containing furoxanyl functionality was synthesized and well characterized.