(E)-1,1,4,4-Tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (TMTZ): A Prospective Alternative to Hydrazines in Rocket Propulsion.

1,1,4,4-Tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (TMTZ) is considered as a prospective replacement for toxic hydrazines used in liquid rocket propulsion. The heat of formation of TMTZ was computed and measured, giving values well above those of the hydrazines commonly used in propulsion. This led to a predicted maximum Isp of 337 s for TMTZ/N2 O4 mixtures, which is a value comparable to that of monomethylhydrazine. We found that TMTZ has a vapor pressure well below that of liquid hydrazines, and it is far less toxic. Finally, an improved synthesis is proposed, which is compatible with existing industrial production facilities after minor changes. TMTZ is thus an attractive liquid propellant candidate, with a performance comparable to hydrazines but a lower vapor pressure and toxicity.

Energetic Properties of Rocket Propellants Evaluated through the Computational Determination of Heats of Formation of Nitrogen-Rich Compounds.

The use of ab initio and DFT methods to calculate the enthalpies of formation of solid ionic compounds is described. The results obtained from the calculations are then compared with those from experimental measurements on nitrogen-rich salts of the 2,2-dimethyltriazanium cation (DMTZ) synthesized in our laboratory and on other nitrogen-rich ionic compounds. The importance of calculating accurate volumes and lattice enthalpies for the determination of heats of formation is also discussed. Furthermore, the crystal structure and hydrogen-bonding networks of the nitroformate salt of the DMTZ cation is described in detail. Lastly, the theoretical heats of formation were used to calculate the specific impulses (Isp ) of the salts of the DMTZ cation in view of a prospective application in propellant formulations.

Quantification and kinetic study in plasma and tissues of (E)-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-2-tetrazene, a liquid propellant and a transformation product of 1,1-dimethyl hydrazine.

(E)-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (TMTZ) is formed from the oxidation of the unsymmetrical 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and is used as a storable liquid fuel which can be considered as a new potential propellant for space rocket propulsion. To better understand the toxicological behavior of the compound, an intraperitoneal administration of TMTZ was performed in mice to define its toxicokinetics and tissue distribution. A fully validated liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay was developed to determine TMTZ levels in biological samples. Determination of TMTZ was achieved using 50 µL of plasma or tissue solution. Precipitation with ammonium sulfate and acetonitrile was used for sample preparation. Liquid chromatography was performed on an Atlantis HILIC Silica column (Waters; 3 µm, 150 mm × 2.1 mm i.d.). Isocratic elution with a mixture of ammonium acetate buffer (pH 5, 100 mM)/water/acetonitrile (3:2:95, v/v/v) was used. The detection was conducted using an electrospray source in positive ion mode. TMTZ and (15)N2-TMTZ (internal standard) were quantitated in selected reaction monitoring mode using the transition m/z 117→72 and 119→74, respectively. Standard curves exhibited excellent linearity in the range of 10-500 ng/mL for plasma and 50-2000 ng/mL for all tissues (heart, liver, brain, kidney, and lung) analyzed, and acceptable precision and accuracy (<10 %) were obtained. The elimination rate constant strongly suggests that TMTZ was very quickly eliminated from the body. The results of tissue distribution experiments indicated that TMTZ underwent a rapid distribution into limited organs such as the liver, kidney, and brain.

Energetic 2,2-Dimethyltriazanium Salts: A New Family of Nitrogen-Rich Hydrazine Derivatives.

Amination of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine with NH2 Cl or hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid yields 2,2-dimethyltriazanium (DMTZ) chloride (3) and sulphate (4), respectively. The DMTZ cation was paired with the nitrogen-rich anions 5-aminotetrazolate (5), 5-nitrotetrazolate (6), 5,5'-azobistetrazolate (7), and azide (8), yielding a new family of energetic salts. The synthesis was carried out by metathesis reactions of salts 3 or 4 and a suitable silver or barium salt. To minimize the risks involved when using heavy metal salts, we used electrodialysis for the synthesis of azide 8, which avoids the use of highly sensitive species. The DMTZ derivatives were characterized by IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Thermal stabilities were measured using DSC analysis and their sensitivities towards classical stimuli were determined using standard tests. Lastly, the relationship between hydrogen bonding in the solid state and sensitivity is discussed.

Synthesis and characterization of secondary nitrosamines from secondary amines using sodium nitrite and p-toluenesulfonic acid.

We synthesized nitrosamines (R2N-NO) with R = iPr (1), nPr (2), nBu (3), and hydroxyethyl (4) from the amine using sodium nitrite/p-toluenesulfonic acid in CH2Cl2. The rate of formation of 1-4 increases in the direction iPr

Energetic hydrazine-based salts with nitrogen-rich and oxidizing anions.

1,1,1-Trimethylhydrazinium iodide ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)]I, 1) was reacted with a silver salt to form the corresponding nitrate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][NO(3)], 2), perchlorate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][ClO(4)], 3), azide ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][N(3)], 4), 5-amino-1H-tetrazolate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][H(2)N-CN(4)], 5), and sulfate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)](2)[SO(4)]·2H(2)O, 6·2H(2)O) salts. The metathesis reaction of compound 6·2H(2)O with barium salts led to the formation of the corresponding picrate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][(NO(2))(3)Ph-O], 7), dinitramide ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][N(NO(2))(2)], 8), 5-nitrotetrazolate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][O(2)N-CN(4)], 9), and nitroformiate ([(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)][C(NO(2))(3)], 10) salts. Compounds 1-10 were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, infrared/Raman spectroscopy, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy ((1)H, (13)C, and (15)N). Additionally, compounds 1, 6, and 7 were also characterized by low-temperature X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD). Ba(NH(4))(NT)(3) (NT=5-nitrotetrazole anion) was accidentally obtained during the synthesis of the 5-nitrotetrazole salt 9 and was also characterized by low-temperature XRD. Furthermore, the structure of the [(CH(3))(3)N-NH(2)](+) cation was optimized using the B3LYP method and used to calculate its vibrational frequencies, NBO charges, and electronic energy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to assess the thermal stabilities of salts 2-5 and 7-10, and the sensitivities of the materials towards classical stimuli were estimated by submitting the compounds to standard (BAM) tests. Lastly, we computed the performance parameters (detonation pressures/velocities and specific impulses) and the decomposition gases of compounds 2-5 and 7-10 and those of their oxygen-balanced mixtures with an oxidizer.

Synthesis, characterization, and energetic properties of salts of the 1-cyanomethyl-1,1-dimethylhydrazinium cation.

1,1-Dimethylhydrazine can be readily alkylated with bromoacetonitrile to form 1-cyanomethyl-1,1-dimethylhydrazinium bromide ([(CH(3))(2)N(CH(2)CN)NH(2)]Br, 1). The metathesis reaction of compound 1 led to the formation of a new family of energetic salts based on the [(CH(3))(2)N(CH(2)CN)NH(2)](+) cation and nitrate (2), perchlorate (3), azide (4), 5-aminotetrazolate ([H(2)N-CN(4)](-), 5), 5,5'-azobistetrazolate ([N(4)C-N=N-CN(4)](2-), 7), and picrate (8) anions. The new materials were characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and (multinuclear) NMR and vibrational (infrared and Raman) spectroscopies. Additionally, the molecular structure of the [(CH(3))(2)N(CH(2)CN)NH(2)](+) cation in compounds 1, 3, and 8 and that of sodium 5,5'-azobistetrazolate octahydrate (NaZT·8H(2)O) were solved by X-ray diffraction techniques. The hydrogen-bonding networks found in the structure of salts 1, 3, 8, and NaZT·8H(2)O are described using graph-set analysis. The melting and decomposition points of the new compounds were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, and insight into their sensitivity towards impact, friction, and electrostatics was gained by submitting the materials to standard tests. Furthermore, we estimated some performance parameters of interest and predicted the decomposition gases formed upon decomposition of salts 2-8 and of mixtures with an oxidizer. The interesting thermal, sensitivity, and performance properties of some of the compounds described in this work make them attractive towards a prospective energetic application.

Metal salts of the 4,5-dicyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole anion ([C4N5]-).

Diaminomaleodinitrile was reacted at low temperatures with in situ generated nitrous acid to form 4,5-dicyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole (1) in yields above 90%. Crystalline 1 was then reacted with one equivalent of a suitable alkali or alkaline earth metal base (typically a hydroxide or a carbonate) in a polar solvent to form the corresponding alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of 4,5-dicyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole (compounds 2-9). The thermal stability of the metal salts 2-9 was assessed by differential scanning calorimetry, which showed excellent thermal stabilities up to above 350 °C. Due to the energetic character of triazole-based salts, initial safety testing was used to assess the sensitivity of compounds 2-9 towards impact, friction, electrostatic discharge and fast heating. These results revealed very low sensitivities towards all four stimuli. Additionally, compounds 2-9 were characterized by mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, infrared and Raman spectroscopy and ((1)H, (13)C and (14)N) NMR spectroscopy. We also determined the solid state structure of the 4,5-dicyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole anion of one of the alkali metal salts (4: Monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 9.389(1) Å, b = 10.603(1) Å, c = 6.924(1) Å, ß = 102.75(1)° and V = 1036.58(3) Å(3)) and one of the alkaline earth metal salts (6: Monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 9.243(1) Å, b = 15.828(2) Å, c = 6.463(1) Å, ß = 90.23(1)° and V = 945.5(2) Å(3)). Furthermore, we noted the hydrolysis of one of the cyano groups of the 4,5-dicyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole anion in the strontium salt 8 to form the 5-cyano-2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid derivative 8b, as confirmed by X-ray studies (8b: Monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 6.950(1) Å, b = 17.769(1) Å, c = 13.858(1) Å, ß = 92.98(1)° and V = 1709.1(1) Å(3)). Lastly, we computed the NBO and Mülliken charges for the anion of compounds 2-9 and those of the anion of compound 8b.

Synthesis and characterization of two formyl 2-tetrazenes.

The synthesis of two formyl 2-tetrazenes, namely, (E)-1-formyl-1,4,4-trimethyl-2-tetrazene (2) and (E)-1,4-diformyl-1,4-dimethyl-2-tetrazene (3), by oxidation of (E)-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-2-tetrazene (1) using potassium permanganate in acetone solution is presented. Compound 3 was also synthesized in an improved yield from the oxidation of 1-formyl-1-methylhydrazine (4a) using potassium permanganate in acetone. Both compounds 2 and 3 were characterized by analytical (elemental analysis, GC-MS) and spectroscopic methods ((1)H, (13)C, and (15)N NMR spectroscopy, and IR and Raman spectroscopy). In addition, the solid-state structures of the compounds were confirmed by low-temperature X-ray analysis. (Compound 2: triclinic; space group P-1; a=5.997(1) Å, b=8.714(1) Å, c=13.830(2) Å; α=107.35(1)°, ß=90.53(1)°, γ=103.33(1)°; V(UC) =668.9(2) Å(3); Z=4; ρ(calc)=1.292 cm(-3). Compound 3: monoclinic; space group P2(1)/c; a=5.840(2) Å, b=7.414(3) Å, c=8.061(2) Å; ß=100.75(3)°; V(UC)=342(2) Å(3); Z=2; ρ(calc)=1.396 g cm(-3).) The vibrational frequencies of compounds 2 and 3 were calculated using the B3LYP method with a 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. We also computed the natural bond orbital (NBO) charges using the rMP2/aug-cc-pVDZ method and the heats of formation were determined on the basis of their electronic energies. Furthermore, the thermal stabilities of these compounds, as well as their sensitivity towards classical stimuli, were also assessed by differential scanning calorimetry and standard BAM tests, respectively. Lastly, the attempted synthesis of (E)-1,2,3,4-tetraformyl-2-tetrazene (6) is also discussed.