Pentaerythritol tetranitrate
- CAS No.
- 78-11-5
- Chemical Name:
- Pentaerythritol tetranitrate
- Synonyms
- PETN;CHOT;Extex;Nexit;SDM 35;SDM 23;Antora;elpetn;Erinit;Angicap
- CBNumber:
- CB4292971
- Molecular Formula:
- C5H8N4O12
- Molecular Weight:
- 316.14
- MDL Number:
- MFCD00058681
- MOL File:
- 78-11-5.mol
Melting point | 140° |
---|---|
Boiling point | 455.59°C (rough estimate) |
Density | d420 1.773 |
refractive index | 1.7900 (estimate) |
storage temp. | -20°C |
solubility | Practically insoluble in water, soluble in acetone, slightly soluble in ethanol (96 per cent). The solubility of diluted pentaerythrityl tetranitrate depends on the diluent and its concentration. |
color | Crystals or prisms from Me2CO/EtOH |
Water Solubility | 2mg/L(temperature not stated) |
Stability | Stable, but decomposes readily and possibly explosively if heated. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. Store cold and keep away from sources of ignition. |
FDA 21 CFR | |
EWG's Food Scores | |
FDA UNII | |
NCI Drug Dictionary | |
ATC code | , |
NIST Chemistry Reference | |
EPA Substance Registry System |
SAFETY
Risk and Safety Statements
Symbol(GHS) | GHS01 |
---|---|
Signal word | Danger |
Hazard statements | H201 |
Precautionary statements | P210-P230-P240-P250-P280-P370+P380-P372-P373-P401-P501 |
Hazard Codes | E,Xn |
Risk Statements | 3-36-20/21/22-11 |
Safety Statements | 35-36/37-26-16 |
RIDADR | 0473 |
HazardClass | 1.1A |
PackingGroup | II |
Toxicity | LD50 oral in rat: 1660mg/kg |
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate Chemical Properties,Uses,Production
Chemical Properties
Pentaerythrite tetranitrate (PETN) is a high explosive, especially when dry. PETN is a sand-like, white crystalline solid. Piratically odorless.Chemical Properties
white crystalline powderOriginator
Pentanitrine, Promedica ,France,1948Uses
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a high explosive, often used as the booster in artillery ammunition. It is frequently used as a detonation fuse, which is a form of primacord in which PETN powder is wrapped in waterproof fabric.Uses
Mainly in the manufacture of detonating fuse (Primacord), a waterproof textile filled with powdered PETN.Uses
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate is used for chronic cardiac insufficiency. It prevents angina pectoris attacks and eases their course.Definition
ChEBI: A pentaerythritol nitrate in which all four hydroxy groups of pentaerythritol have been converted to the corresponding nitrate ester. It is a vasodilator with properties similar to those of glyceryl trinitrate, but with a more prolonged duration of action, and is used for treatment of angina pectoris. It is also one of the most powerful high explosives known and is a component of the plastic explosive known as Semtex.Manufacturing Process
Cooling water was turned on and 420 parts nitric acid of 94% strength was introduced into the nitrator. The amount of acid was such that the ratio of nitric acid to pentaerythritol was 4.29. The agitator was started and the agitator speed adjusted to 120 rpm. 92 parts pentaerythritol, which had been screened previously through a 14-mesh screen was used in each charge. About 45 parts pentaerythritol was added to the nitrator at such a rate that the temperature in the nitrator gradually rose to 110°F. This required about 12 minutes. Time was allowed for the temperature rise to cease before each succeeding increment of material was added.
After reaching 110°F the charge was maintained at about said temperature from 12 to 14 minutes during which time approximately 30 parts pentaerythritol was added to the nitrator. During the following 14 minutes, approximately, the remainder of the 92 parts pentaerythritol was added in like manner to the charge and the temperature gradually reduced. The pentaerythritol was introduced into the acid in finely divided and welldispersed particles and not in large unitary quantities. The entire 92 parts of pentaerythritol tetranitrate was introduced in 35 to 40 minutes. The pentaerythritol thus obtained was separated from the spent acid by filtering or drowning in water. To recover the spent acid the charge was passed onto a nutsch and filtered. The crude product was washed with water, then with a weak water-soluble alkali solution, such as sodium carbonate for example, and subsequently with water in order to remove the acid.
After the removal of acid, the nitrate was dried by suction on the nutsch for about 15 minutes. The dried material was refined by means of acetone treatment or other suitable refining means. About 210 parts refined pentaerythritol tetranitrate per charge was obtained.
brand name
Pentritol Tempules (Rhone-Poulenc Rorer); Peritrate (Parke-Davis).Therapeutic Function
Coronary vasodilatorReactivity Profile
Pure PENTAERYTHRITE TETRANITRATE is an explosive. Severe explosion hazard when shocked or exposed to heat. Explodes when heated to 205-215°C. Highly dangerous when mixed with oxidizing agents. On decomposition Pentaerythritol tetranitrate emits highly toxic fumes of NOx (Sax and Lewis, 1987 pp. 699-700).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
Skin contact can cause dermatitis. There is no report of any major adverse effects in humans. However, drawing a parallelism with other nitroorganics of similar structures, PETN is expected to cause poisoning with symptoms of headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and dyspnea.Fire Hazard
PETN is a high explosive, as powerful as cyclonite. It is more sensitive than TNT to shock. It explodes on percussion or heating. The detonating temperature is 210°C (410°F). The detonation velocity is 7.9 km/s.Safety Profile
Human systemic effects by ingestion: dermatitis. Effects are sirmlar to those of nitroglycerin, i.e., headache, weakness, and fall in blood pressure. Very low oral toxicity. Severe explosion hazard when shocked or exposed to heat. It explodes at 215’C. On decomposition it emits hghly toxic fumes of NO,; can react vigorously with oxidizing materials. Used in detonators and explosive specialities. See also NITRATES and EXPLOSIVES, HIGH.Synthesis
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate, 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,3- propandioltetranitrate (19.1.2), is also synthesized by a nitration reaction of pentaerythritol with nitric acid, but using 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propandiol instead of glycerol as the starting material.