Methyl nitrate
Encyclopedia
Methyl nitrate is the methyl ester
of nitric acid
and has the chemical formula
CH3NO3.
Methyl nitrate is toxic and a sensitive explosive. It causes headaches when fumes are inhaled. It can be produced by the condensation
of nitric acid
and methanol
:
When ignited it burns extremely fiercely with a gray-blue flame.
Methyl nitrate can be produced on a laboratory or industrial scale either through the distillation
of a mixture of methanol and nitric acid, or by the nitration
of methanol by a mixture of sulfuric
and nitric acids. The first procedure is not preferred due to the great explosion danger presented by the methyl nitrate vapour. The second procedure is essentially identical to that of making nitroglycerin. However, the process is usually run at a slightly higher temperature and the mixture is stirred mechanically on an industrial scale instead of with compressed air.
The velocity of detonation (VOD) of methyl nitrate is 8000 m/s and is one of the most brisant explosives known. The sensitivity of methyl nitrate to initiation by detonation
is among the greatest known, with even a number one blasting cap
, the lowest power available, producing a near full detonation of the explosive.
Despite the superior explosive properties of methyl nitrate, it has not received application as an explosive due mostly to its high volatility
, which prevents it from being stored or handled safely. It was used as a rocket fuel by Germany in World War II
, in a mixture containing 25% methanol, which was named "myrol". This mixture would evaporate
at a constant rate and so its composition would not change over time. It presents a slight explosive danger (it is somewhat difficult to detonate) and does not detonate easily via shock.
Ester
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
of nitric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...
and has the chemical formula
Chemical formula
A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
CH3NO3.
Methyl nitrate is toxic and a sensitive explosive. It causes headaches when fumes are inhaled. It can be produced by the condensation
Condensation reaction
A condensation reaction is a chemical reaction in which two molecules or moieties combine to form one single molecule, together with the loss of a small molecule. When this small molecule is water, it is known as a dehydration reaction; other possible small molecules lost are hydrogen chloride,...
of nitric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...
and methanol
Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
:
- CH3OH + HNO3 CH3NO3 + H2O
When ignited it burns extremely fiercely with a gray-blue flame.
Methyl nitrate can be produced on a laboratory or industrial scale either through the distillation
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
of a mixture of methanol and nitric acid, or by the nitration
Nitration
Nitration is a general chemical process for the introduction of a nitro group into a chemical compound. The dominant application of nitration is for the production of nitrobenzene, the precursor to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate...
of methanol by a mixture of sulfuric
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
and nitric acids. The first procedure is not preferred due to the great explosion danger presented by the methyl nitrate vapour. The second procedure is essentially identical to that of making nitroglycerin. However, the process is usually run at a slightly higher temperature and the mixture is stirred mechanically on an industrial scale instead of with compressed air.
The velocity of detonation (VOD) of methyl nitrate is 8000 m/s and is one of the most brisant explosives known. The sensitivity of methyl nitrate to initiation by detonation
Detonation
Detonation involves a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations are observed in both conventional solid and liquid explosives, as well as in reactive gases...
is among the greatest known, with even a number one blasting cap
Blasting cap
A blasting cap is a small sensitive primary explosive device generally used to detonate a larger, more powerful and less sensitive secondary explosive such as TNT, dynamite, or plastic explosive....
, the lowest power available, producing a near full detonation of the explosive.
Despite the superior explosive properties of methyl nitrate, it has not received application as an explosive due mostly to its high volatility
Volatility (chemistry)
In chemistry and physics, volatility is the tendency of a substance to vaporize. Volatility is directly related to a substance's vapor pressure. At a given temperature, a substance with higher vapor pressure vaporizes more readily than a substance with a lower vapor pressure.The term is primarily...
, which prevents it from being stored or handled safely. It was used as a rocket fuel by Germany in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in a mixture containing 25% methanol, which was named "myrol". This mixture would evaporate
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
at a constant rate and so its composition would not change over time. It presents a slight explosive danger (it is somewhat difficult to detonate) and does not detonate easily via shock.