2,4,6-Trinitrophenylmethylnitramine or tetryl ( C₇ H₅ N₅ O₈) is an

explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...

compound used to make

detonator A detonator is a device used to make an explosive or explosive device explode. Detonators come in a variety of types, depending on how they are initiated (chemically, mechanically, or electrically) and details of their inner working, which of ...

s and explosive booster charges. Tetryl is a

nitramine Nitramide or nitroamine is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . Substitution reaction, Substituted derivatives are termed nitramides or nitroamines as well. Organyl derivatives of nitramide, and , are widely used as explosives: exam ...

booster explosive, though its use has been largely superseded by

RDX RDX (Research Department Explosive or Royal Demolition Explosive) or hexogen, among other names, is an organic compound with the formula (CH2N2O2)3. It is white, odorless, and tasteless, widely used as an explosive. Chemically, it is classified ...

. Tetryl is a sensitive secondary high explosive used as a booster, a small charge placed next to the detonator in order to propagate detonation into the main explosive charge.

Chemical properties

Tetryl is a yellow crystalline solid powder material, practically insoluble in water but soluble in

acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone) is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly Volatile organic compound, volatile, and flammable liquid with a charact ...

benzene Benzene is an Organic compound, organic chemical compound with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar hexagonal Ring (chemistry), ring with one hyd ...

and other solvents. When tetryl is heated, it first melts, then decomposes and explodes. It burns readily and is more easily detonated than

ammonium picrate Dunnite, also known as Explosive D or systematically as ammonium picrate, is an explosive developed in 1906 by US Army Major Beverly W. Dunn, who later served as chief inspector of the Bureau of Transportation Explosives. Ammonium picrate is a sa ...

or TNT, being about as sensitive as

picric acid Picric acid is an organic compound with the formula (O2N)3C6H2OH. Its IUPAC name is 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP). The name "picric" comes from (''pikros''), meaning "bitter", due to its bitter taste. It is one of the most acidic phenols. Like ot ...

. It is detonated by friction, shock, or spark. It remains stable at all temperatures which may be encountered in storage. It is generally used in the form of pressed pellets, and has been approved as the standard bursting charge for small-caliber projectiles, since it gives much better fragmentation than TNT. It has an explosive velocity of 23,600–23,900 feet per second (7200–7300 m/s). Tetryl is the basis for the service tetryl blasting caps necessary for positive detonation of TNT. A mixture of mercury fulminate and

potassium chlorate Potassium chlorate is the inorganic compound with the molecular formula KClO3. In its pure form, it is a white solid. After sodium chlorate, it is the second most common chlorate in industrial use. It is a strong oxidizing agent and its most impor ...

is included in the cap to ensure detonation of tetryl.

Environmental effect

The most toxic ordnance compounds, tetryl and 1,3,5-TNB, are also the most degradable. Therefore, these chemicals are expected to be short-lived in nature, and environmental impacts would not be expected in areas that are not currently subject to chronic inputs of these chemicals. Tetryl decomposes rapidly in

methanol Methanol (also called methyl alcohol and wood spirit, amongst other names) is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with the chemical formula (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often ab ...

/water solutions, as well as with heat. All aqueous samples expected to contain tetryl should be diluted with

acetonitrile Acetonitrile, often abbreviated MeCN (methyl cyanide), is the chemical compound with the formula and structure . This colourless liquid is the simplest organic nitrile (hydrogen cyanide is a simpler nitrile, but the cyanide anion is not class ...

prior to

filtration Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filte ...

and acidified to pH < 3. All samples expected to contain tetryl should not be exposed to temperatures above room temperature. In addition, degradation products of tetryl appear as a shoulder on the 2,4,6-TNT peak. Peak heights rather than peak areas should be used when tetryl is present in concentrations that are significant relative to the concentration of 2,4,6-TNT.

History and synthesis

Tetryl was used mainly during World Wars I and II and later conflicts. Tetryl is usually used on its own, though can sometimes be found in compositions such as tetrytol. Tetryl is no longer manufactured or used in the United States, but can still be found in legacy munitions such as the M14 anti-personnel landmine. Dutch chemist Karel Hendrik Mertens originally synthesized the compound as a part of his doctoral dissertation published in 1877 by slowly mixing dimethylaniline with concentrated

nitric acid Nitric acid is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but samples tend to acquire a yellow cast over time due to decomposition into nitrogen oxide, oxides of nitrogen. Most com ...

in the presence of

sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...

, and it's still a viable lab technique. However, in the 1930s a more economical route was commercialized, where

methylamine Methylamine, also known as methanamine, is an organic compound with a formula of . This colorless gas is a derivative of ammonia, but with one hydrogen atom being replaced by a methyl group. It is the simplest primary amine. Methylamine is sold ...

produced by the Smoleński method (developed after WWI) reacts with dinitrochlorobenzene to make dinitromethylaniline which is then easily nitrated without byproducts.

Health concerns

Although tetryl is among the most toxic explosive compounds, it is very short-lived, especially if in fact detonated. This combined with the fact that the health impacts of this compound are largely unstudied, not much is known about any health problems that this compound may cause. Epidemiological data shows that tetryl has most effect on the skin, acting as a strong irritant. Symptoms of skin sensitization such as dermatitis, itch, erythema, etc. may occur.CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
/ref> Tetryl can also affect mucous membranes, the upper respiratory tract, and possibly the liver.

References

* Cooper, Paul W., ''Explosives Engineering'', New York: Wiley-VCH, 1996.

External links

Tetryl

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a federal public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agency focuses on minimizing human health risks associated with exposure to hazar ...

Occupational Safety and Health Guideline for Tetryl
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227041309/http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/tetryl/recognition.html , date=2009-02-27 , Occupational Safety & Health Administration Explosive chemicals Nitroamines