The Many Faces of FOX-7: A Precursor to High-Performance Energetic Materials

New derivatives of 1,1-diamino-2, 2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) are reported. These highly oxygen- and nitrogen-rich compounds were fully characterized using IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis (EA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). X-ray structure determination of (E)-1,2-bis{(E)-2-chloro-1-(chloroimino)-2,2-dinitroethyl}diazene) (10), N1, N2-dichloro-1, 2-diazenedicarboximidamide (11), and (E,E)-N,N'-1,2-ethanediylidenebis(2, 2-dinitro-2-chloro-ethanamine) (12) was helpful in their characterization. Heats of formation (HOF) were calculated (Gaussian 03) and combined with experimental densities to estimate the detonation velocities (D) and pressures (P) of the high-energy-density materials (HEDMs) (EXPLO5, v6.01). The compounds exhibit good thermal stability, high density, positive HOF, acceptable oxygen balances, and excellent detonation properties, which often are superior to that of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX).