| Chemical Properties | Trinitrobenzene is a yellow crystalline solid. |
| Uses | Trinitrobenzene is used as an explosive. It is obtained by oxidation of trinitrotoluene. |
| Uses | Explosive. 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene is a vulcanizing agent for natural rubber. Indicator for pH 12.0-14.0. |
| Uses | 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene can be used for direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry for fast screening of explosives. |
| Definition | ChEBI: A trinitrobenzene in which each of the nitro groups is meta- to the other two. |
| Synthesis Reference(s) | The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 22, p. 1046, 1957 DOI: 10.1021/jo01360a012 |
| General Description | A light yellow crystalline sludge or slurry. Burns but may require some effort to ignite. A high explosive when dry. Easily ignited and burns very vigorously when dry. Soluble in alcohol and ether; insoluble in water. Produces toxic oxides of nitrogen during combustion. |
| Air & Water Reactions | Insoluble in water. |
| Reactivity Profile | Aromatic nitro compounds, such as TRINITROBENZENE, range from slight to strong oxidizing agents. If mixed with reducing agents, including hydrides, sulfides and nitrides, they may begin a vigorous reaction that culminates in a detonation. The aromatic nitro compounds may explode in the presence of a base such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide even in the presence of water or organic solvents. The explosive tendencies of aromatic nitro compounds are increased by the presence of multiple nitro groups. |
| Health Hazard | Some are toxic and may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through skin. Contact may cause burns to skin and eyes. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Runoff from fire control or dilution water may cause pollution. |
| Health Hazard | The toxic effects from ingestion of the solid or inhalation of its dusts include irritation of respiratory tract, headache, dyspnea, and cyanosis. Other effects noted in animals were degenerative changes in the brain. The oral LD50 values in rats and mice are 450 and 570 mg/kg, respectively. |
| Fire Hazard | Trinitrobenzene is a high explosive, similar to trinitrotoluene. However, it is less sensitive to impact than the latter. Its brisance and power are higher than those of TNT. It detonates when heated rapidly. The dry material is highly sensitive to shock and heat.Slow and careful heating of a small amount of material does not cause detonation. Trinitrobenzene is a flammable solid. It reacts vigorously with reducing substances. It emits highly toxic oxides of nitrogen on decomposition.. |
| Safety Profile | Poison by ingestion andintravenous routes. Mutation data reported.A severe explosion hazard when shocked orexposed to heat. Trinitrobenzene isconsidered a powerful high explosive andhas more shattering power than TNT.Although it is less sensitive to impact thanTNT, it is not used much because it isdifficult to produce. The complex withpotassium trimethyl stannate explodes atroom temperature. Forms heat-sensitiveexplosive complexes with alkyl or arylmetallates (e.g., lithium or potassium salts oftrimethyl-, triethyl-, or triphenyl-germanate,-silanate, or -stamate). Can react vigorouslywith reducing materials. When heated todecomposition it emits highly toxic fumes ofNOx and explodes. See also NITROCOMPOUNDS of AROMATICHYDROCARBONS. |
| Synthesis | One synthesis route of 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene is through the decarboxylation of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzoic acid (obtained from TNT by oxidation with chromic acid) by heating in aqueous medium. |
| Potential Exposure | Trinitrobenzene is explosive when dry.Used as an explosive; as a vulcanizing agent for naturalrubber. Trinitrobenzene may be more powerful than TNT;and is reported to be less sensitive to impact than TNT.However it is difficult to produce, and is not used as widelyas TNT. |
| storage | Storage and shipping are similar to those used for TNT and other high explosives. Trinitrobenzene is stored in a permanent magazine well separatedfrom initiator explosive, combustible and oxidizing materials, and heat sources. It is shipped in metal containers enclosed in wooden boxes or strong siftproof cloth or paper bags in amounts not exceeding 60 lb net weight (NFPA 1997). |
| Shipping | UN0214 Trinitrobenzene, dry or wetted with<30% water, by mass, Hazard Class: 1.1D; Labels:1.1DExplosives(with a mass explosion hazard); D-Substancesor articles which may mass detonate (with blast and/orfragment hazard) when exposed to fire. UN1354Trinitrobenzene, wetted with not <30% water, by mass,Hazard Class: 4.1; Labels: 4.1-Flammable solid. |
| Purification Methods | Crystallise it from glacial acetic acid, CHCl3, CCl4, EtOH aqueous EtOH or EtOH/*benzene, after (optionally) heating with dilute HNO3. Dry it in air. Fuse it and crystallise it under vacuum. [Beilstein 5 H 271, 5 I 140, 5 II 203, 5 III 643, 5 IV 754.] |
| Incompatibilities | Sensitive to shock and heat. Incompatiblewith initiating explosives, combustible materials. Aromaticnitro compounds, such as trinitrobenzene, range from slight tostrong oxidizing agents. Keep away from strong reducingagents, including hydrides, alkali metals; aluminium andother metal powder; phosphorus; sulfides and nitrides, alkalinematerial, strong bases; contact may initiate vigorous reactionsthat culminates in a detonation. The aromatic nitrocompounds may explode in the presence of a base such assodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide even in the presenceof water or organic solvents. The aromatic nitrocompounds may explode in the presence of a base such assodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide even in the presenceof water or organic solvents. Incompatible withstrong oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates,perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); contactmay cause fires or explosions. |
| Waste Disposal | Consult with environmentalregulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposalpractices. Generators of waste containing this contaminant(≥100 kg/mo) must conform with EPA regulations governingstorage, transportation, treatment, and waste disposal.Dissolve in a combustible solvent and spray into an incineratorequipped with afterburner and scrubber. |
