Acetone peroxide

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Acetone peroxide

Cyclic dimer and trimer examples
Acetone peroxide trimer
Acetone peroxide trimer
Names
IUPAC names
3,3-Dimethyl-1,2-dioxacyclopropane (monomer)
3,3,6,6-Tetramethyl-1,2,4,5-tetraoxane (dimer)
3,3,6,6,9,9-Hexamethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexaoxacyclononane (trimer)
3,3,6,6,9,9,12,12-Octamethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8,10,11-octaoxacyclododecane (tetramer)
Other names
Triacetone triperoxide
Peroxyacetone
Mother of Satan
Identifiers
3D model (
JSmol
)
ChemSpider
E number E929 (glazing agents, ...)
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C9H18O6/c1-7(2)10-12-8(3,4)14-15-9(5,6)13-11-7/h1-6H3 checkY
    Key: ZTLXICJMNFREPA-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • InChI=1/C9H18O6/c1-7(2)10-12-8(3,4)14-15-9(5,6)13-11-7/h1-6H3
    Key: ZTLXICJMNFREPA-UHFFFAOYAS
  • dimer: CC1(C)OOC(C)(C)OO1
  • trimer: CC1(C)OOC(C)(C)OOC(C)(C)OO1
Properties
C6H12O4 (dimer)
C9H18O6 (trimer)
C12H24O8 (tetramer)
Molar mass 148.157 g/mol (dimer)
222.24 g/mol (trimer)
296.296 g/mol (tetramer)[1]
Appearance White crystalline solid
Melting point 131.5 to 133 °C (dimer)[2]
91 °C (trimer)
Boiling point 97 to 160 °C (207 to 320 °F; 370 to 433 K)
Insoluble
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS01: Explosive GHS07: Exclamation mark
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentineFlammability 4: Will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed in air and will burn readily. Flash point below 23 °C (73 °F). E.g. propaneInstability 4: Readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures. E.g. nitroglycerinSpecial hazards (white): no code
1
4
4
Explosive data
Shock sensitivity High/High when wet
Friction sensitivity High/moderate when wet
Detonation velocity 5300 m/s at maximum density (1.18 g/cm3), about 2500–3000 m/s near 0.5 g/cm3
17,384 ft/s
3.29 miles per second
RE factor
 0.80
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)

Acetone peroxide (

dimer, trimer, and tetramer forms. The monomer is dimethyldioxirane. The dimer is known as diacetone diperoxide (DADP). The trimer is known as triacetone triperoxide (TATP) or tri-cyclic acetone peroxide (TCAP). Acetone peroxide takes the form of a white crystalline powder with a distinctive bleach-like odor (when impure) or a fruit-like smell when pure, and can explode powerfully if subjected to heat, friction, static electricity, concentrated sulfuric acid, strong UV radiation or shock. Until about 2015, explosives detectors were not set to detect non-nitrogenous explosives, as most explosives used preceding 2015 were nitrogen-based. TATP, being nitrogen-free, has been used as the explosive of choice in several terrorist
bomb attacks since 2001.

History

Acetone peroxide (specifically, triacetone triperoxide) was discovered in 1895 by the German chemist Richard Wolffenstein.[5][6][7] Wolffenstein combined acetone and hydrogen peroxide, and then he allowed the mixture to stand for a week at room temperature, during which time a small quantity of crystals precipitated, which had a melting point of 97 °C (207 °F).[8]

In 1899, Adolf von Baeyer and Victor Villiger described the first synthesis of the dimer and described use of acids for the synthesis of both peroxides.[9][10][11][12][13] Baeyer and Villiger prepared the dimer by combining potassium persulfate in diethyl ether with acetone, under cooling. After separating the ether layer, the product was purified and found to melt at 132–133 °C (270–271 °F).[14] They found that the trimer could be prepared by adding hydrochloric acid to a chilled mixture of acetone and hydrogen peroxide.[15] By using the depression of freezing points to determine the molecular weights of the compounds, they also determined that the form of acetone peroxide that they had prepared via potassium persulfate was a dimer, whereas the acetone peroxide that had been prepared via hydrochloric acid was a trimer, like Wolffenstein's compound.[16]

Work on this methodology and on the various products obtained, was further investigated in the mid-20th century by Milas and Golubović.[17]

Chemistry

The chemical name acetone peroxide is most commonly used to refer to the cyclic trimer, the product of a reaction between two

catalyzed nucleophilic addition, although monomeric and dimeric forms are also possible.[18][19]

Synthesis of tri-cyclic acetone peroxide.

Specifically, two dimers, one cyclic (C6H12O4) and one open chain (C6H14O4), as well as an open dihydroperoxide monomer (C3H8O4),

organic peroxide.[17]

The most common route for nearly pure TATP is H2O2/acetone/HCl in 1:1:0.25 molar ratios, using 30% hydrogen peroxide. This product contains very little or none of DADP with some very small traces of chlorinated compounds. Product that contains large fraction of DADP can be obtained from 50% H2O2 using large amounts of concentrated sulfuric acid as catalyst or alternatively with 30% H2O2 and massive amounts of HCl as a catalyst.[23]

The product made by using hydrochloric acid is regarded as more stable than the one made using sulfuric acid. It is known that traces of sulfuric acid trapped inside the formed acetone peroxide crystals lead to instability. In fact, the trapped sulfuric acid can induce detonation at temperatures as low as 50 °C (122 °F). This is the most likely mechanism behind accidental explosions of acetone peroxide that occur during drying on heated surfaces.[24]

Triacetone triperoxide forms in 2-propanol upon standing for long periods of time in the presence of air.[25]

Tetrameric acetone peroxide

Organic peroxides in general are sensitive, dangerous explosives, and all forms of acetone peroxide are sensitive to initiation.[citation needed] TATP decomposes explosively; examination of the explosive decomposition of TATP at the very edge of detonation front predicts "formation of acetone and ozone as the main decomposition products and not the intuitively expected oxidation products."[26] Very little heat is created by the explosive decomposition of TATP at the very edge of the detonation front; the foregoing computational analysis suggests that TATP decomposition is an entropic explosion.[26] However, this hypothesis has been challenged as not conforming to actual measurements.[27] The claim of entropic explosion has been tied to the events just behind the detonation front. The authors of the 2004 Dubnikova et al. study confirm that a final redox reaction (combustion) of ozone, oxygen and reactive species into water, various oxides and hydrocarbons takes place within about 180 ps after the initial reaction - within about a micron of the detonation wave. Detonating crystals of TATP ultimately reach temperature of 2,300 K (2,030 °C; 3,680 °F) and pressure of 80 kbar.[28] The final energy of detonation is about 2800 kJ/kg (measured in helium), enough to briefly raise the temperature of gaseous products to 2,000 °C (3,630 °F). Volume of gases at STP is 855 L/kg for TATP and 713 L/kg for DADP (measured in helium).[27]

The tetrameric form of acetone peroxide, prepared under neutral conditions using a

primary explosive.[21] Its synthesis has been disputed.[23]

Crystal deposits of sublimed TATP.

Both TATP and DADP are prone to loss of mass via sublimation. DADP has lower molecular weight and higher vapor pressure. This means that DADP is more prone to sublimation than TATP. This can lead to dangerous crystal growth when the vapors deposit if the crystals have been stored in a container with a threaded lid. This process of repeated sublimation and deposition also results in a change in crystal size via Ostwald ripening.

Several methods can be used for trace analysis of TATP,

high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS),[35][36][37][38][39] and HPLC with post-column derivitization.[40]

Acetone peroxide is soluble in toluene, chloroform, acetone, dichloromethane and methanol.[41] Recrystalization of primary explosives may yield large crystals that detonate spontaneously due to internal strain.[42]

Industrial uses

Ketone peroxides, including acetone peroxide and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, find application as initiators for polymerization reactions, e.g., silicone or polyester resins, in the making of fiberglass-reinforced composites.[citation needed] For these uses, the peroxides are typically in the form of a dilute solution in an organic solvent; methyl ethyl ketone peroxide is more common for this purpose, as it is stable in storage.[citation needed]

Acetone peroxide is used as a flour bleaching agent to bleach and "mature" flour.[43]

Acetone peroxides are unwanted by-products of some oxidation reactions such as those used in

photochemical oxidation in air.[45] Accidental occurrence at illicit MDMA laboratories is possible.[46]

Numerous methods are used to reduce their appearance, including shifting

inhibitors of their production.[44][additional citation(s) needed
]

Use in improvised explosive devices

See also: Improvised explosive device

TATP has been used in bomb and suicide attacks and in improvised explosive devices, including the

allowing extradition to mainland China.[60]

TATP

shockwave overpressure is 70% of that for TNT, the positive phase impulse is 55% of the TNT equivalent. TATP at 0.4 g/cm3 has about one-third of the brisance of TNT (1.2 g/cm3) measured by the Hess test.[61]

TATP is attractive to terrorists because it is easily prepared from readily available retail ingredients, such as hair bleach and nail polish remover.[53] It was also able to evade detection because it is one of the few high explosives that do not contain nitrogen,[62] and could therefore pass undetected through standard explosive detection scanners, which were hitherto designed to detect nitrogenous explosives.[63] By 2016, explosives detectors had been modified to be able to detect TATP, and new types were developed.[64][65]

Legislative measures to limit the sale of hydrogen peroxide concentrated to 12% or higher have been made in the European Union.[66]

A key disadvantage is the high susceptibility of TATP to accidental detonation, causing injuries and deaths among illegal bomb-makers, which has led to TATP being referred to as the "Mother of Satan".[65][62] TATP was found in the accidental explosion that preceded the 2017 terrorist attacks in Barcelona and surrounding areas.[67]

Large-scale TATP synthesis is often betrayed by excessive bleach-like or fruity smells. This smell can even penetrate into clothes and hair in amounts that are quite noticeable; this was reported in the 2016 Brussels bombings.[68]

References

  1. ^ "Molar mass C12H24O8".
  2. ^ Federoff, Basil T. et al., Encyclopedia of Explosives and Related Items (Springfield, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, 1960), vol. 1, p. A41.
  3. ^ Berezow, Alex (14 November 2018). "TATP: The Chemistry of 'Mother of Satan' Explosive". American Council on Science and Health.
  4. ^ Swartz, Anna (24 March 2016). "What Is 'Mother of Satan'? What You Should Know About Explosive Used in Brussels Attacks". Yahoo News.
  5. doi:10.1002/cber.189502802208
    . Wolffenstein determined that acetone peroxide formed a trimer, and he proposed a structural formula for it. From pp. 2266–2267: "Die physikalischen Eigenschaften des Superoxyds, der feste Aggregatzustand, die Unlöslichkeit in Wasser etc. sprachen dafür, dass das Molekulargewicht desselben ein grösseres wäre, als dem einfachen Atomverhältnisse entsprach. … Es lag also ein trimolekulares Acetonsuperoxyd vor, das aus dem monomolekularen entstehen kann, indem sich die Bindungen zwischen je zwei Sauerstoffatomen lösen und zur Verknüpfung mit den Sauerstoffatomen eines benachbarten Moleküls dienen. Man gelangt so zur folgenden Constitutionsformel: [diagram of proposed molecular structure of the trimer of acetone peroxide] . Diese eigenthümliche ringförmig constituirte Verbindung soll Tri-Cycloacetonsuperoxyd genannt werden." (The physical properties of the peroxide, its solid state of aggregation, its insolubility in water, etc., suggested that its molecular weight would be a greater [one] than corresponded to its simple empirical formula. … Thus [the result of the molecular weight determination showed that] there was present a tri-molecular acetone peroxide, which can arise from the monomer by the bonds between each pair of oxygen atoms [on one molecule of acetone peroxide] breaking and serving as links to the oxygen atoms of a neighboring molecule. One thus arrives at the following structural formula: [diagram of proposed molecular structure of the trimer of acetone peroxide] . This strange ring-shaped compound shall be named "tri-cycloacetone peroxide".)
  6. ^ Wolfenstein R (1895) Deutsches Reichspatent 84,953
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  15. ^ Baeyer & Villiger 1900a, p. 859.
  16. ^ Baeyer & Villiger 1900a, p. 859 "Das mit dem Caro'schen Reagens dargestellte, bei 132–133° schmelzende Superoxyd gab bei der Molekulargewichtsbestimmung nach der Gefrierpunktsmethode Resultate, welche zeigen, dass es dimolekular ist. Um zu sehen, ob das mit Salzsäure dargestellte Superoxyd vom Schmp. 90–94° mit dem Wolffenstein'schen identisch ist, wurde davon ebenfalls eine Molekulargewichtsbestimmung gemacht, welche auf Zahlen führte, die für ein trimolekulares Superoxyd stimmen." [The peroxide that was prepared with Caro's reagent and that melted at 132–133 °C (270–271 °F) gave – according to a determination of molecular weight via the freezing point method – results which show that it is dimolecular. In order to see whether the peroxide that was prepared with hydrochloric acid and that has a melting point of 90–94 °C (194–201 °F) is identical to Wolffenstein's, its molecular weight was likewise determined, which led to values that are correct for a trimolecular peroxide.]
  17. ^
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  20. DMDO
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  63. ^ "Feds are all wet on airport security". Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. 24 August 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2009. At the moment, Watts said, the screening devices are set to detect nitrogen-based explosives, a category that doesn't include TATP[permanent dead link]
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External links

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