Tetraazidomethane

Tetraazidomethane is a colorless, highly explosive liquid. Its chemical structure consists of a carbon atom substituted with four azide functional groups. It was first prepared by Klaus Banert in 2006 by reaction of trichloroacetonitrile with sodium azide.^[1]

Additional recommended knowledge

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Uses

As with other polyazides, tetraazidomethane has interest as a high-energy-density material with potential uses in explosives, propellants, or fireworks.^[2]

Reactions

Banert has reported that tetraazidomethane participates in a number of surprising reactions including hydrolysis, cycloaddition reactions with alkenes and alkynes, and reaction with phosphines to form phosphazenes.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "The Exciting Chemistry of Tetraazidomethane", Klaus Banert, Young-Hyuk Joo, Tobias Ruffer, Bernhard Walfort, and Heinrich Lang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 1168–1171. doi:10.1002/anie.200603960
2. ^ "Tetraazidomethane: Chemistry with a Bang", Chemical & Engineering News, Dec. 18, 2006, 46.