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| Names | |
|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name Hexanitrobenzene | |
| Other names 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexanitrobenzene | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChemSpider |
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| Properties | |
| C6N6O12 | |
| Molar mass | 348.10 g/mol |
| Appearance | Yellow or brown powdered crystals |
| Density | 1.985g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 256 to 264 °C (493 to 507 °F; 529 to 537 K) |
| Explosive data | |
| Shock sensitivity | None |
| Friction sensitivity | None |
| Detonation velocity | 9,340m/s[1] |
| RE factor | 1.8 |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Hexanitrobenzene, also known asHNB, is anitrobenzene compound in which sixnitro groups are bonded to all six positions of a centralbenzene ring. It is a high-densityexplosivecompound withchemical formulaC6N6O12, obtained byoxidizing theamine group ofpentanitroaniline withhydrogen peroxide insulfuric acid.
The stableconformation of this molecule has the nitro groups rotated out of the plane of the central benzene ring. The molecule adopts a propeller-like conformation in which the nitro groups are rotated about 53° from planar.[2]
HNB has the undesirable property of being moderately sensitive to light and, therefore, hard to utilize safely. As of 2021, it is not used in any production explosives applications, though it is used as a precursor chemical in one method of production ofTATB, another explosive.
HNB was experimentally used as a gas source for explosively pumpedgas dynamic laser.[3] In this application, HNB andtetranitromethane are preferred to more conventional explosives because the explosion productsCO2 andN2 are a simple enough mixture to simulate gas dynamic processes and quite similar to conventional gas dynamic laser medium. The water and hydrogen products of many other explosives could interfere with vibrational states ofCO2 in this type of laser.
During World War II, a method of synthesis of hexanitrobenzene was suggested in Germany, and the product was supposed to be manufactured on a semi-industrial scale according to the following scheme:
Complete nitration of benzene is practically impossible because the nitro groups aredeactivating groups for further nitration.
