Novel energetic CNO oxidizer: Pernitro-substituted pyrazolyl-furazan framework

Abstract

There is a need for dense energetic oxidizers whose composition is restricted to carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms as chlorine-free alternative to current oxidizers of energetic materials such as explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics. High nitrogen heterocyclic frameworks containing trinitromethyl units are an attractive and increasingly important class of oxygen-rich compounds. Herein, for the first time, a synthetic method has been developed for the preparation of a new (pyrazole-3-yl)furazan framework bearing a nitro group in the furazan ring. From this framework, 3-nitro-4-(4-nitro-1-(trinitromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)furazan (15) and 3-(3,4-dinitro-1-(trinitromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-4-nitrofurazan (16) have been produced. The combination of positive enthalpy of formation, high density, favorable physical and thermal properties, and reasonable sensitivity with the promising theoretical energetic performance of these oxygen-rich compounds offers materials not only of fundamental interest, but also for potential practical applications, for example, as promising candidates to new environmentally benign rocket propellants.