Synthesis,Characterization and Explosive Properties of 1,3‐Dimethyl‐5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazolium 5‐Nitrotetrazolate

1,3‐Dimethyl‐5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazolium 5‐nitrotetrazolate ( 5b ) was synthesized in high yield from 1,4‐dimethyl‐5‐amino‐1H‐tetrazolium iodide ( 5a ) and silver 5‐nitrotetrazolate. Both new compounds ( 5a and 5b ) were characterized using vibrational (IR and Raman) and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N), elemental analysis and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. 5a crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell: Pbca, a = 11.5016(4), b = 13.7744(5), c = 13.7744(5) Å, V = 1638.2(1) ų, Z = 8, ρ = 1.955 g cm^?3, R₁ = 0.0210 (F > 4σ(F)), wR₂ (all data) = 0.0542; whereas 5b crystallizes in a monoclinic cell: C1c, a = 14.5228(8), b = 5.0347(2), c = 13.7217(7) Å, β = 112.11(1)°, V = 929.6(2) ų, Z = 4, ρ = 1.630 g cm^?3, R₁ = 0.0279 (F > 4σ(F)), wR₂ (all data) = 0.0585. The sensitivity of 5b to classical stimuli was determined by using standard BAM tests and its thermal stability was assessed by DSC measurements. In addition, its heat of combustion was determined by bomb calorimetry measurements. The EXPLO5 was used to calculate the detonation pressure (P) and velocity (D) of 5b (P = 13.3 GPa and D = 6379 m s^?1), as well as those of its mixtures with ammonium nitrate (P = 23.2 GPa and D = 7862 m s^?1) and ammonium dinitramide (P = 29.6 GPa and D = 8594 m s^?1). Compound 5b is a hydrolytically stable solid with a high melting point (160 °C) and thermally stable to 190 °C with a very low sensitivity to friction (>360 N) and impact (>30 J) and good performance in combination with an oxidizer making it of interest in new environmentally friendly, insensitive explosive formulations.