Basic hydrolysis of glyceryl nitrate esters. III. Trinitroglycerin

Kinetics of the basic hydrolysis of glyceryl trinitrate (TNG) were investigated in CO₂-free aqueous calcium hydroxide solutions. The hydrolysis reactions were carried out in a temperature controlled reactor vessel with provision for continuous N₂ sparging of the reaction mixture. TNG hydrolyzed via second-order reaction at 25°C, 18°C, and 10°C. The activation energy of the hydrolysis reaction of TNG was calculated from the kinetic data and found to be equal to 27.53 kcal/mol. The major products of the hydrolysis of TNG in solution of calcium hydroxide were calcium nitrate and calcium nitrite, accounting for approximately 50% of the degradation products. The minor identified products such as calcium oxalate and nitrate esters amounted to approximatey 6% of the products. The remaining 30% of the isolated products was a mixture of calcium formate, a nitrate ester, and unidentified volatiles, polymerlike substances, and other organic residue.