http://www.roguesci.org/chemlab/energetics/tetranitromethane.html is a synth for it.
Here is some info on it. I am concentrating on it NOT as a HE but for synthises.
This is on TetraNitroMethane from Urbanski.
TETRANITROMETHANE
Tetranitromethane was first obtained by Shishkov [48] in 1857, but it was only
during the World War II that the Germans experimented with it on a large scale,
using mixtures of tetranitromethane with various combustible materials as rocket
propellants.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Tetranitromethane, C(NO2)4, is a heavy oily liquid (sp. gr. 1.65), which solidifies
at +3°C and boils at 126°C without decomposition. It is insoluble in water,
but it dissolves easily in alcohol and benzene. It is a volatile substance with a characteristic
smell, reminiscent of nitrogen oxides.
Menzies [53], later Nicholson [54] and Edwards [551 measured the vapour pressures
of tetranitromethane and obtained similar values.
Nicholson found the following vapour pressures for temperatures ranging from
0°C to 40°C:
Temperature, °C 0 13.8 20 30 40
Vapour pressure, mm Hg 1.9 5.7 8.4 14.9 25.8
Changes in the vapour pressure of tetranitromethane depending on temperature
may be expressed by a first degree equation:
log p = 8.63-2260/T
From the above data Nicholson has calculated the latent heat of evaporation
10.3 kcal/mole. Edwards has given the following figures for temperatures ranging
from 40°C to 100°C
Temperature, °C 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Vapour pressure, mm Hg 26.5 43.3 68.0 108.0 164.0 239.0 339.6
He has presented changes in vapour pressures as a variable dependent on temperature,
according to the equation:
log p = 7.23-2130/T
and has calculated the latent heat of evaporation to be 9.7 kcal/mole.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Although tetranitromethane does not contain active hydrogen it readily enters
certain reactions. With water it reacts slowly to form trinitromethane, i.e. nitroform:
C(NO2 )4 + HOH -> CH(NO2 )3 + HNO3 (20)
With potassium hydroxide, tetranitromethane readily yields its potassium salt
of nitroform :
C(NO2)4 + 2KOH + CK(NO2)3 + KNO3 + H2O (21)
It react with sodium sulphite to yield sodium trinitromethanesulphonate
C(NO2)4 + NO2SO3 -> (O2N)3CSO3Na + NaNO2 (22)
With copper or nickel in the presence of ammonia it forms complex salts having
initiating properties (Vol. III).
Tetranitromethane is added to compounds having double bonds to form brown
or yellow products. The reaction is very sensitive and may be utilized, for example,
for detecting traces of olefins in paraffin fractions (Werner [56]).
Tetranitromethane reacts with tertiary amines, causing their degradation with
the formation of N-nitroso derivatives of secondary amines. In this way tertiary
amines may be converted to secondary ones (E. Schmidt and co-workers [57, 58]):
EXPLOSIVE PROPERTIES
According to Roth [62], pure tetranitromethane cannot be detonated even when
using 10 g of tetryl as detonator. However, the ability of tetranitromethane to
detonate increases considerably when it contains organic impurities, even in small
quantities.
TOXICITY
Tetranitromethane is highly toxic. Kiese [48] found that 25 mg/per kg of body
weight of tetranitromethane slowly injected intravenously caused transitory
methaemoglobinaemia, as well as lung oedema and damage to the liver, kidney and
central nervous system. Tetranitromethane injected quickly caused necrosis
around the puncture which could be fatal.
Now more...
Formed by passing acetylene gas through 100% (or near to it) HNO3, which forms the intermediate trinitromethane (TNMe), which is then nitrated with more concentrated nitric acid to form the TeNMe. (Ref. IEC 41, pg 2185 y.1949 and J. Chem. Soc, pg 283, y.1920)
^^This needs a Hg (ii) nitrate catalyst.
Here is some info on it. I am concentrating on it NOT as a HE but for synthises.
This is on TetraNitroMethane from Urbanski.
TETRANITROMETHANE
Tetranitromethane was first obtained by Shishkov [48] in 1857, but it was only
during the World War II that the Germans experimented with it on a large scale,
using mixtures of tetranitromethane with various combustible materials as rocket
propellants.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Tetranitromethane, C(NO2)4, is a heavy oily liquid (sp. gr. 1.65), which solidifies
at +3°C and boils at 126°C without decomposition. It is insoluble in water,
but it dissolves easily in alcohol and benzene. It is a volatile substance with a characteristic
smell, reminiscent of nitrogen oxides.
Menzies [53], later Nicholson [54] and Edwards [551 measured the vapour pressures
of tetranitromethane and obtained similar values.
Nicholson found the following vapour pressures for temperatures ranging from
0°C to 40°C:
Temperature, °C 0 13.8 20 30 40
Vapour pressure, mm Hg 1.9 5.7 8.4 14.9 25.8
Changes in the vapour pressure of tetranitromethane depending on temperature
may be expressed by a first degree equation:
log p = 8.63-2260/T
From the above data Nicholson has calculated the latent heat of evaporation
10.3 kcal/mole. Edwards has given the following figures for temperatures ranging
from 40°C to 100°C
Temperature, °C 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Vapour pressure, mm Hg 26.5 43.3 68.0 108.0 164.0 239.0 339.6
He has presented changes in vapour pressures as a variable dependent on temperature,
according to the equation:
log p = 7.23-2130/T
and has calculated the latent heat of evaporation to be 9.7 kcal/mole.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Although tetranitromethane does not contain active hydrogen it readily enters
certain reactions. With water it reacts slowly to form trinitromethane, i.e. nitroform:
C(NO2 )4 + HOH -> CH(NO2 )3 + HNO3 (20)
With potassium hydroxide, tetranitromethane readily yields its potassium salt
of nitroform :
C(NO2)4 + 2KOH + CK(NO2)3 + KNO3 + H2O (21)
It react with sodium sulphite to yield sodium trinitromethanesulphonate
C(NO2)4 + NO2SO3 -> (O2N)3CSO3Na + NaNO2 (22)
With copper or nickel in the presence of ammonia it forms complex salts having
initiating properties (Vol. III).
Tetranitromethane is added to compounds having double bonds to form brown
or yellow products. The reaction is very sensitive and may be utilized, for example,
for detecting traces of olefins in paraffin fractions (Werner [56]).
Tetranitromethane reacts with tertiary amines, causing their degradation with
the formation of N-nitroso derivatives of secondary amines. In this way tertiary
amines may be converted to secondary ones (E. Schmidt and co-workers [57, 58]):
EXPLOSIVE PROPERTIES
According to Roth [62], pure tetranitromethane cannot be detonated even when
using 10 g of tetryl as detonator. However, the ability of tetranitromethane to
detonate increases considerably when it contains organic impurities, even in small
quantities.
TOXICITY
Tetranitromethane is highly toxic. Kiese [48] found that 25 mg/per kg of body
weight of tetranitromethane slowly injected intravenously caused transitory
methaemoglobinaemia, as well as lung oedema and damage to the liver, kidney and
central nervous system. Tetranitromethane injected quickly caused necrosis
around the puncture which could be fatal.
Now more...
Formed by passing acetylene gas through 100% (or near to it) HNO3, which forms the intermediate trinitromethane (TNMe), which is then nitrated with more concentrated nitric acid to form the TeNMe. (Ref. IEC 41, pg 2185 y.1949 and J. Chem. Soc, pg 283, y.1920)
^^This needs a Hg (ii) nitrate catalyst.