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NITRO DERIVATIVES OF TOLUENE 303

He has stated that a maximum of three molecules of an alcoholate can be added

to α− trinitrotoluene, the number being equal to the number of nitro groups.

T. Urbanski and Pawlowski [89] investigated the salts formed on treating trim-

trotoluene in acetone-alcohol solution with sodium alcoholate and also with an

alcoholic solution of Ba(OH) 2. Various addition products were obtained, accord-

ing to the proportion of the alcoholate or hydroxide, e.g.:

from CH 3 .C 6 H 2 (NO 2 ) 3 + C 2 H 5 OBa1/2 to CH 3 .C 6 H 2 (NO 2 ) 3 + 3C 2 H 5 OBa1/2

On acidification of these salts with sulphuric acid a pale yellow product was

precipitated with simultaneous evolution of nitrogen oxides.

The pale yellow precipitate, “T acid”, dissolves in acetone, but it is insoluble

in most organic solvents, thus differing from TNT. It has an acid character and is

able to form salts.

T. Urbanski [90] assumes that it has the structure of the diphenyl-diphenylene

compound (IX) :

IX

The explosive properties of the compound TX differ considerably from those
Of trinitrotoluene. Its explosive power is much lower than that of trinitrotoluene,

which may be explained by the smaller number of the nitro groups present. Both

“T acid” itself, and also its salts, are much more sensitive to mechanical and thermal

stimuli than trinitrotoluene.