OTHER NITRO DERIVATIVES OF PHENOLS^533Physical properties2,4,6-Trinitro-m-cresol (m. p. 107-107.5°C) is less soluble in water than picric
acid. With 100 g of water the following quantities go into solution:
at 6°C 0.15 g
15°C 0.2 g
100°C 1.83 gBenzene dissolves 2,4,6-trinitro-m-cresol more readily than picric acid:
at 6°C 9.2 g
15°C 13 gThe compound is readily soluble in alcohol, ether and acetone.
Trinitro-m-cresol may be separated from picric acid in the form of its potassium
salt, taking advantage of a difference in the solubility of the potassium salts of the
two compounds, as shown below:
Grammes of salt in 100 ml of water
at 6°C at 15°C at 100°C
potassium picrate 3.3 0.45 14.55
potassium trinitrocresate 1.4 3.4 over 50On the other hand, trinitrocresolates of organic bases are more difficult to dissolve
than the corresponding picrates. Solubilities in 100 ml of water of pyridine picrate
and pyridine trinitrocresolate are given below for comparison:
at 20°C at 100°C
pyridine picrate 0.36 g 12.6 g
pyridine trinitrocresate 0.12 g 1.5 gThe specific gravity of trinitro-m-cresol is 1.64. Under a 1500 kg/cm^2 pressure
this of 1.55 can be obtained, and under 2900 kg/cm^2 - 1.63.Chemical properties2,4,6-Trinitro-m-cresol forms addition compounds with aromatic hydrocarbons
in the molecular proportion of 1:1:
melting point, °C
with naphthalene 124.5 (Sapozhnikov, Rdultovskii [23])
,, acenaphthene 118 (Jefremov [24])
,, phenanthrene 113 ,,
,, fluorene 107 ,,
,, retene^118 ,,
On the whole the properties of trinitro-m-cresol are similar to those of picricacid. The properties of trinitrocresolates differ only slightly from those of picrates,
as for example their lead salts. Ammonium trinitrocresolate has been used to some
extent in Austria as a high explosive for filling shells.
Thermochemical and explosive properties
When heated, trinitro-m-cresol decomposes at about 200°C and at 275°C ex-
plodes. Its sensitiveness to impact is similar to that of picric acid, but its ability