Hexanitrodiphenylamine (abbreviated HND), is an explosive chemical compound with the formula C
12H
5N
7O
12. HND was used extensively by the
Japanese during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
but was discontinued due to its toxicity.
Preparation
Dinitrodiphenylamine is treated with 98%
nitric acid
Nitric acid is the inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but older samples tend to be yellow cast due to decomposition into oxides of nitrogen. Most commercially available ni ...
. The starting material, dinitrodiphenylamine, is obtained from the reaction of
aniline
Aniline is an organic compound with the formula C6 H5 NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the simplest aromatic amine. It is an industrially significant commodity chemical, as well as a versatile starti ...
, dinitrochlorobenzene, and soda ash.
Applications
HND is a booster-class explosive that was used in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
by the
Germans
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3,322,405
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as a component of
Hexanite (60% TNT - 40% HND) and by the Japanese as a component of Kongo (Type 98 H
2) (60%
Trinitroanisole
Trinitroanisole is a chemical compound that exists as pale yellow crystals with a melting point of 68 °C. It is an explosive with a detonation velocity of 7200 meters per second.Wasag-Chemie, Essen. "Explosivstoffe". 1961, p. 164.
Synthesis
Trin ...
- 40% HND) for use in bombs, sea mines and depth charges; Seigate (Type 97 H) (60% TNT - 40% HND) for use in torpedo warheads and depth charges; and also in Otsu-B (60% TNT, 24% HND & 16% aluminium powder) for use in torpedo warheads.
Its ammonium salt, also known as Aurantia or Imperial Yellow, was discovered in 1873 by
Emil Kopp
Charles-Émile Kopp (3 March 1817 – 30 November 1875), France, French chemist, was born at Wasselonne, Alsace.
He became in 1847 a professor of toxicology and chemistry at the École supérieure de Pharmacie at Strasbourg. Because of his partic ...
and used as a yellow colorant for leather, wool and silk in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Safety and toxicity
A most toxic and poisonous explosive, it attacks the skin, causing blisters which resemble burns. Dust from HND is injurious to the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and lungs. Several
nitroaromatic explosives, including HND, have been found to be
mutagens.
Incidents
On 12 May 2022, construction of the
Bundesautobahn 49
is a federal motorway running through north Hesse. It connects Kassel with the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, where it ends in Neuental. The motorway is planned to be extended to Gemünden (Felda) with a connection to A 5.
Course
A 49 splits ...
in Germany was halted, after traces of the explosive were found in the excavated material. The road passes over a former explosives factory near
Stadtallendorf
Stadtallendorf is a town in the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf, Hesse, Germany. It lies about east of Marburg. In 2010, the town hosted the 50th Hessentag state festival.
Geography
Location
Under the German system of ''Naturräume'', Stad ...
. The factory had been demolished after World War II, and it was not expected that traces of explosives had remained in the ground.
References
*
*
*{{cite report, title=Japanese Explosives (USNTMJ-200E-0551-0578 Report 0-25) , publisher= U.S. Naval Technical Mission to Japan , date=December 1945
See also
*
Hexanite
Explosive chemicals
Nitrobenzenes
Anilines