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548 CHEMISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY OF EXPLOSIVES

and cold water added to the molten product with constant stirring. In this way

granules of trinitroanisole are obtained. They may be separated from water by

filtration or centrifugation.

TETRANITROANISOLE

m. p. 94°C m. p. 151°C

A mixture of the tetranitroanisole isomers may be obtained (according to Claes-

sen [7]) by the nitration of m- nitroanisole. The compounds are not stable since their

nitro groups in the meta position are readily hydrolysed or substituted (van Duin

and van Lennep [8]). Their sensitiveness to impact is similar to that of TNT. The

expansion they give in a lead block is about 135% of that given by TNT.

TRINITROPHENETOLE

The physical and chemical properties of trinitrophenetole (m. p. 78°C) are

similar to those of trinitroanisole. Thus, for example, on the prolonged action

of water it undergoes hydrolysis, and its OC 2 H 5 group can easily be replaced by

an amino group.

By crystallization from methyl alcohol trinitrophenetole is converted into trinitro-

anisole. It also adds on a molecule of sodium or potassium alcoholate to form a bright

coloured salt.

Trinitrophenetole may be exploded by an impact energy amounting to 120%

of that required for picric acid. With regard to its explosive power, trinitrophenetole

is somewhat weaker than trinitroanisole. Measurements in a manometric bomb

by Desvergnes [5] gave the following results:

at a density of loading A = 0.20 g/cm^3 pressure produced was 1774 kg/cm^2

A = 0.25 g/cm^3 ,, ,, ,, 2490 kg/cm^2

A = 0.3 g/cm^3 ,, ,, ,, 3318 kg/cm^2

(see p. 546)