Dinitrophenyl Triazoles – “A Class of Energetic Azoles”: Synthesis,Characterisation, and Performance Evaluation Studies

Energetic azoles have shown great potential as powerful energetic molecules, which find various applications in both military and civilian fields. This work describes the synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of two energetic triazole derivatives, viz. N‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)‐3‐nitro‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole ( 1a ) and N‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl)‐3‐azido‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole ( 1b ). The compounds were synthesized from 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazole and 3‐azido‐1,2,4‐triazole, by a simple synthetic route and structurally characterized using FT‐IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C) spectroscopy as well as elemental analysis. Thermal analyses on the molecules were performed using simultaneous TG‐DTA. Both compounds ( 1a , 1b ) showed good thermal stability with exothermic decomposition peaks at 348 °C and 217 °C, respectively, on DTA. The energetic and sensitivity properties of both compounds like friction sensitivities and heats of formation are reported. The heats of combustion at constant volume were determined using oxygen bomb calorimetry and the results were used to calculate the standard molar heats of formation (Δ_fH^m). The azido derivative ( 1b ) showed a higher positive heat of formation. The thermo‐chemical properties of the compounds as well as the thermal decomposition products were predicted using the REAL thermodynamic code.