Fully nitrated benzene sets explosive record

By Katrina Krämer2022-03-25T09:30:00

A ring of six carbons bonded to three NO2 and three NH groups nitrogen groups

Source: © Qi Sun et al, Sci Adv. 8, eabn3176 (2022)

Nitro-nitroaminobenzene is the organic compound with the largest detonation energy release yet

Back away slowly, here comes 1,3,5-trinitro-2,4,6-trinitroaminobenzene – a compound that beats all other organic explosives with its enormous detonation power output.

Like other polynitrobenzene explosives, TNTNB neatly combines an oxidiser – the nitro groups – and fuel – the benzene ring – into a single molecular package. This means it can generate huge amounts of energy extremely quickly through self-redox reactions. Like hexanitrobenzene, TNTNB has six nitro groups but also three additional high-energy N–N bonds in its nitroamino groups.