1,3,5-Triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene
# 1,3,5-Triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene

1,3,5-Triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene, also known as TATNB (triazidotrinitrobenzene) and TNTAZB (trinitrotriazidobenzene), is an aromatic high explosive composed of a benzene ring with three azido groups $(-N_3)$ and three nitro groups $(-NO_2)$ alternating around the ring, giving the chemical formula $C_6(N_3)_3(NO_2)_3.$ Its detonation velocity is 7,350 meters per second, which is comparable to TATB (triaminotrinitrobenzene).

## Preparation

The compound was first synthesized in 1924 by Oldřich Turek. It can be prepared by the reaction of 1,3,5-trichloro-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene with sodium azide. 1,3,5-trichloro-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene is obtained from the nitration of 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene with nitric acid and sulfuric acid.

Another route uses the nitration of 1,3,5-triazido-2,4-dinitrobenzene.

## Properties

### Chemical Properties

Even at low temperatures, the compound slowly decomposes by giving off nitrogen gas, converting into benzotrifuroxan. This reaction proceeds quantitatively within 14 hours at 100 °C. As a solution in m-xylene, first order kinetics were observed for the decomposition, with a half-life of 340 minutes at 70 °C, 89 minutes at 80 °C, and 900 seconds at 100 °C.

The compound explodes if rapidly heated above 168 °C.

