From the discovery of FOX-7 in 1998, this compound has witnessed great attention from the synthetic, theoretical, and application perspective compared to any other energetic material reported in the literature. FOX-7 is an exceptional precursor because of its surprising chemical reactivity, and extensive research has been performed on its structure modifications to achieve better performance while retaining stability. The energetic materials comprising FOX-7′s structural fragments in their backbone promise to develop potential compounds. • Compilation of the published work on FOX-7 from year 2016 to 2021. • Summary of several synthetic strategies used for structural modification of FOX-7. • Comparison of energetic properties of newly developed FOX-7 derivatives with TNT, RDX, HMX, and FOX-7. • Emphasizing the importance of FOX-7′s structural fragments in reported molecules for combining performance and stability. • This review may stimulate further work to expand the chemistry of FOX-7. FOX-7 demonstrates a fascinating explosophoric motif with a unique combination of detonation performance and stability. Unlike classical explosives, such as TNT, TATB, and RDX, FOX-7 exhibits superior energetic performance originating from its high density, oxygen balance, and dinitro groups. Indeed, owing to its unique energetic properties and versatile molecular structure, a variety of neutral compounds and salts have been synthesized during the past two decades and continuing. These materials comprise NH 2 and NO 2 groups on the C = C bond as an integral structural unit that provides an opportunity for a diverse blend of physical and detonation properties. This critical review summarizes several synthetic strategies used for structural modification of FOX-7 and highlighted their energetic properties. Due to the chemically tailorable framework, synthetic accessibilities, and superior energetic characteristics, FOX-7 is subjected to intense and expansive research and is undoubtedly considered a promising precursor for developing new explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics.