Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5.4.4.3 Toxicity
The toxicity of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate is weaker than nitroglycerine.
5.4.4.4 Application of 1,2,4-Butanetriol Trinitrate
There is about 28.04 % 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate in double-based propellants
modi
ed by diisocyanate cross-linking reaction to improve their mechanical
properties. In the propellant of a copolymer of acrylic epoxyethane boryl methyl
ester and acroleic acid, there are about 16.3 % triglycol nitrate and 10.8 % 1,2,4-
butanetriol trinitrate. Because there are many similar properties between 1,2,4-
butanetriol trinitrate and nitroglycerine, it can replace nitroglycerine in explosives
and propellants. A mixture of nitroglycerine and 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate is used
as an adhesive in the well-known highly energetic solid propellant of NEPE, that
effectively improves the sensitivity, energy, and mechanical properties of the
propellant.
5.5 Property and Preparation of Other Nitrate Esters [
1
,
3
]
5.5.1 Property and Preparation D-Sorbitol Hexanitrate
Sorbitol hexanitrate, or nitro sorbitol, is one of the isomers of nitro mannitol. It is a
crystalline chemical at normal condition and molten at 55
C. It used to be an
additive of nitroglycerine in the United States to prepare dynamites with a low
freezing point.
Sorbitol is dissolved to
°
five times volume of concentrated nitric acid (d = 1.52 at
0
C). The product can be precipitated by 10 times volume of 20 % fumed sulfuric
acid (5
°
°
C). In the product, there is a small amount of impurity of pentanitrate. At
0
C of nitration and precipitation temperature, an oily mixture of sorbitol
hexanitrate and sorbitol pentanitrate will be obtained. The explosion property of
nitro sorbitol is similar with that of nitro mannitol.
In industry, sorbitol is prepared by catalytic reduction of D-glucose. Thus, its
nitrated product has a wide application. For example, it can be used to synthesize
1,4,3,6-dihexanol 2,5-dinitrate for anapetia treatment. It is also use to prepare
1,4,3,6-didehydration dinitrate ester by D-mannitol, D-glucitol, and L-iditol,
respectively, as shown below.
Isodimannitol dinitrate: melting point of 64.5
10
°
-
-
65.5
°
C
Isodisorbitol dinitrate: melting point of 50.5
-
51.5
°
C
Isoiditol dinitrate: melting point of 68
-
69
°
C
