Synthesis and Characterization of Bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolato-N2)tetraammine

cobalt(III) perchlorate (BNCP) and its transition metal perchlorate analogues

Huizhong Sun, Louisa Hope-Weeks and Brandon Weeks
Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University

Motivation

Conclusion and Future Work

The conventional primary explosives such as lead azide and lead

styphnate have resulted in lead contamination at artillery and firing ranges
and become a major health hazard and environmental problem for both
military and civilian personnel. So efforts are taken all over the world to
develop lead-free safe primary explosives based on energetic coordination compounds.

In contrast to current used primary explosives, the inorganic

coordination complexes with metallic cations and organic compounds,
BNCP and its transition metal perchlorate analogues meet the
requirements for green explosives.

Objective

Compared with existing primaries, BNCP and BNNP are easier to

prepare, safer to handle. They are completely insensitive under 90 C.
They are resistant to decomposition upon exposure to moisture, light or
heat.

To synthesis and analysis Bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolato-N2)tetraammine

cobalt(III) perchlorate (BNCP), Bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolatoN2)tetraammine nickel(III) perchlorate (BNNP) and other transition
metals, hydroxyl heterocycles perchlorate analogues.

To choose the Metal Center, the stability exhibited by transition metal

complexes primarily depends on the oxidation state of the metal. So in the
future work, other transition metal like Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mo and Cd will be
used as inorganic metal core.

Experiments

To choose the complexes with maximum energy, 3,5-diamino-1,2,4triazole and 3-aminopyrazole-4-carbonitrile will be used to replace the
current used 5-amino tetrarzole.

The sodium salt of nitrotetrazole, carbonato tetraammine cobalt (III)

nitrate (CTCN) and bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolato-N2)tetraammine cobalt(III)
perchlorate (BNCP) were synthesized (Schemes 1) on the lines of the
reported methodology.
The precursors carbonato triammine copper (II) nitrate (CTCuN),
carbonato triammine zinc (II) nitrate (CTZnN) were synthesized
( Schemes 2).
Metal (Ni, Cu and Zn) analogues of BNCP viz., bis-(5-nitro-2Htetrazolato-N2)tetraammine nickel(III) perchlorate (BNNP), mono-(5nitro-H-tetrazolato-N)triammine copper(II) perchlorate (MNCuP) and
mono-(5-nitro-H-tetrazolato-N)triammine zinc(II) perchlorate (MNZnP)
were synthesized on the similar lines (Scheme 1).

Other characterization will be done in the future to analysis the

products. For Example, thermo decompositions study (TGA, DSC),
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared
(IR) spectral and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Scheme 1. Synthesis of Bis-(5-nitro-2Htetrazolato-N2)tetraammine cobalt(III)
perchlorate (BNCP)

Scheme 2. Synthesis of Mono-(5-nitro-Htetrazolato-N)triammine copper(II)

perchlorate (MNCuP)

TGA date of BNCP and BNNP

BNCP
At 234.853C, weight lose is 41.94%.
At 366.796C, weight lose is 56.45%.

References
M.B. Talawar et al., Energetic coordination compounds : synthesis,
characterization and thermolysis studies BNCP and its new transition
metal (Ni/Cu/Zn) perchlorate analogues, Journal of Hazaedous Materials
A(120) (2005), 25-35
M. B. Talawar et al, Studies on nickel hydrazinium nitrate(NHN) and
BNCP: Potential lead-free advanced primary explosives, Journal of
Acientific & Industrial Research 63(8) 2004, 677-681

Picture of Bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolatoN2)tetraammine cobalt(III) perchlorate

(BNCP)

Pictrue of Bis-(5-nitro-2H-tetrazolatoN2)tetraammine nickel(III) perchlorate

(BNNP)

BNNP
At 281.98C, the weight lose is 27.54%,
At 373.04C, the weight lose is 72.46%