4-Dimethylaminophenylpentazole is an unstable, explosive compound that contains the rare

pentazole Pentazole is an aromatic molecule consisting of a five-membered ring with all nitrogen atoms, one of which is bonded to a hydrogen atom. It has the molecular formula . Although strictly speaking a homocyclic, inorganic compound, pentazole has ...

ring, which is composed of five nitrogen atoms. The electron donating effect of the 4-dimethylamino substituent on the

phenyl In organic chemistry, the phenyl group, or phenyl ring, is a cyclic group of atoms with the formula C6 H5, and is often represented by the symbol Ph. Phenyl group is closely related to benzene and can be viewed as a benzene ring, minus a hydrogen ...

ring makes this compound one of the more stable of the phenylpentazoles. At room temperature, its chemical half-life is only a few hours, although storage is possible at cryogenic temperatures. The compound was first prepared in 1956 along with other substituted phenylpentazoles. Studies have been conducted on various other derivatives, though necessarily limited by the instability of these compounds. Some more highly substituted derivatives, such as 2,6-dihydroxy-4-dimethylaminophenylpentazole, are slightly more stable but conversely, more difficult to make. Current research has focused on forming

transition metal In chemistry, a transition metal (or transition element) is a chemical element in the d-block of the periodic table (groups 3 to 12), though the elements of group 12 (and less often group 3) are sometimes excluded. They are the elements that ca ...

complexes of these pentazole derivatives, as the pentazole ring should be stabilised by bonding to the metal centre.

References

Explosive chemicals Pentazoles Anilines {{Explosive-stub