Reliable, rapid and simple voltammetric detection of urea nitrate explosive

A highly selective and rapid electrochemical assay of the improvised explosive urea nitrate (UN) is reported. The method involves a short ( approximately 10 s) acid-catalyzed reaction of UN with 4-nitrotoluene (NT) followed by a rapid ( approximately 2 s) square-wave voltammetric (SWV) detection of the 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) product. The new protocol offers great promise for a reliable field detection of UN, with significant advantages of speed, sensitivity, portability, simplicity, and cost.     

基于聚氟乙烯负载四芳基乙烯纳米纤维膜的爆炸物荧光检测

以聚合物纤维负载荧光小分子实现对爆炸物的高灵敏度检测是当前研究的热点之一.本文通过静电纺丝制备了系列聚(偏二氟乙烯-co-六氟丙烯)纤维,当该纤维掺入一定浓度的有机荧光小分子,即双(9-芳胺代芴)联四苯乙烯(TPE-2p TPA),具有聚集诱导增强发光特性.本文研究了复合纤维的表面形貌特征和光物理性能,并应用于荧光化学传感器,对以苦味酸为代表的含氮类爆炸性化合物进行了检查.结果表明,该聚合物复合纤维具有超高的荧光检测灵敏度,可以实现对硝基化合物的超灵敏检测,且具有良好的可重复性,对苦味酸溶液检测可重复利用达9次以上,检测极限达到了10-17g/m L,而对其他含氮类化合物如硝基苯、二硝基苯甲酸也表现出一定的检测特性.同时,在结合实验数据的基础上,我们对检测机理进行了探讨.本研究为爆炸性化合物的选择性检测和高灵敏性检测提供了一种便捷的方法,拓展了荧光传感器的学科内涵.     

Gas chromatographic detection of some nitro explosive compounds in soil samples after solid‐phase microextraction with carbon ceramic copper nanoparticle fibers

In this research, a new solid‐phase microextraction fiber based on carbon ceramic composites with copper nanoparticles followed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection was applied for the extraction and determination of some nitro explosive compounds in soil samples. The proposed method provides an overview of trends related to synthesis of solid‐phase microextraction sorbents and their applications in preconcentration and determination of nitro explosives. The sorbents were prepared by mixing of copper nanoparticles with a ceramic composite produced by mixture of methyltrimethoxysilane, graphite, methanol, and hydrochloric acid. The prepared sorbents were coated on copper wires by dip‐coating method. The prepared nanocomposites were evaluated statistically and provided better limits of detection than the pure carbon ceramic. The limit of detection of the proposed method was 0.6 μg/g with a linear response over the concentration range of 2–160 μg/g and square of correlation coefficient >0.992. The new proposed fiber has been demonstrated to be a suitable, inexpensive, and sensitive candidate for extraction of nitro explosive compounds in contaminated soil samples. The constructed fiber can be used more than 100 times without the need for surface generation.     

A relative rate study of the reaction of Cl atoms with a series of alkyl nitrates and nitro alkanes in air at 295 ± 2 K

The relative rate technique has been used to measure rate constants for the reaction of chlorine atoms with nitro methane, nitro ethane, nitro propane, nitro butane, nitro pentane, ethyl nitrate, isopropyl nitrate, n-propyl nitrate, 2-pentyl nitrate, and 2-heptyl nitrate. Decay rates of these organic species were measured relative to one or more of the following reference compounds; n-butane, ethane, chloroethane, and methane. Using rate constants of 2.25 × 10^?10 5.7 × 10^?11, 8.04 × 10^?12, and 1.0 × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 for the reaction of Cl atoms with n-butane, ethane, chloroethane, and methane, respectively, the following rate constants were derived, in units of cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1: nitro methane, <7 × 10^?15; nitro ethane, (2.05 ± 0.14) × 10^?13; nitro propane, (1.13 ± 0.05) × 10^?11; nitro butane, (5.13 ± 0.68) × 10^?11; nitro pentane, (1.40 ± 0.14) × 10^?10; ethyl nitrate, (3.70 ± 0.24) × 10^?12; n-propyl nitrate, (2.15 ± 0.13) × 10^?11; i-propyl nitrate, (3.94 ± 0.48) × 10^?12; 2-pentyl nitrate, (1.00 ± 0.06) × 10^?10; and 2-heptyl nitrate, (2.84 ± 0.50) × 10^?10. Quoted errors represent 2σ and do not include possible systematic errors due to errors in the reference rate constants. Experiments were performed at 295 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure (?740 torr) of synthetic air. The results are discussed with respect to the previous literature data and to the modeling of these compounds in the atmosphere.     

Urea nitrate, an exceptionally easy-to-make improvised explosive: studies towards trace characterization

Urea nitrate is a powerful improvised explosive, frequently used by terrorists in the Israeli arena. It was also used in the first World Trade Center bombing in New York in February 1993. It is difficult to identify urea nitrate in post-explosion debris, since only a very small fraction survives the blast. Also, in the presence of water, it readily decomposes to its original components, urea and nitric acid. It is suspected that post-blast debris of urea nitrate can be confused with ammonium nitrate, the main solid product of urea nitrate thermal decomposition. In a comprehensive study towards identification of urea nitrate in post-blast traces, a spectrophotometric technique for quantitative determination of urea nitrate was developed, and conditions were found for extraction and separation of un-exploded traces of urea nitrate with minimal decomposition. Nevertheless, out of 28 samples collected from a series of three controlled firings of urea nitrate charges, only one gave the typical adduct ion by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. We found that urea nitrate can be extracted from solid mixtures to organic solvents by using Crown ethers as “host compounds.” The adducts thus formed are solid, crystalline compounds that can be characterized by microanalysis and spectroscopic techniques. Figure Adduct formation between urea nitrate and 18-crown-6     

Inorganic oxidizer detection from propellants,pyrotechnics, and homemade explosive powders using gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis

Advancement in rapid targeted chemical analysis of homemade and improvised explosive devices is critical for the identification of explosives-based hazards and threats. Gradient elution moving boundary electrophoresis (GEMBE), a robust electrokinetic separation technique, was employed for the separation and detection of common inorganic oxidizers from frequently encountered fuel-oxidizer mixtures. The GEMBE system incorporated sample and run buffer reservoirs, a short capillary (5 cm), an applied electric field, and a pressure-driven counterflow. GEMBE provided a separation format that allowed for continuous injection of sample, selectivity of analytes, and no sample cleanup or filtration prior to analysis. Nitrate, chlorate, and perchlorate oxidizers were successfully detected from low explosive propellants (e.g., black powders and black powder substitutes), pyrotechnics (e.g., flash powder), and tertiary explosive mixtures (e.g., ammonium nitrate- and potassium chlorate-based fuel-oxidizer mixtures). Separation of these mixtures exhibited detection without interference from a plethora of additional organic and inorganic fuels, enabled single particle analysis, and demonstrated semiquantitative capabilities. The bulk counterflow successfully excluded difficult components from fouling the capillary, yielding estimated limits of detection down to approximately 10 μmol/L. Finally, nitrate was separated and detected from postblast debris collected and directly analyzed from two nitrate-based charges.     

A Mild Procedure for the Preparation of o‐Nitrophenols by Nitro Urea or Ammonium Nitrate in the Presence of Silica Sulfuric Acid (SiO2‐OSO3H)

A mixture of ammonium nitrate or nitro urea and silica sulfuric acid was found to be efficient and environmentally friendly nitrating media for the preparation of orto‐nitro phenols in dichloromethane at room temperature.     

High-performance ion chromatography assessment of inorganic and organic nitrogen fractions in potatoes

A new high-performance ion chromatography assay for organic and inorganic nitrogen analysis has been proposed and examined. In the devised protocol, inorganic sample constituents were measured after ultrasonically assisted water extraction. The amine and amide nitrogen content was assessed after modified Kjeldahl digestion and determined as NH₄⁺, and the total nitrogen content was quantified as NO₃⁻ after microwave-facilitated digestion. Finally, the nitro, azo, azoxy nitrogen was calculated by comparison of the total nitrogen content and all measured nitrogen species. The detection limits of the measured ions were 2.0, 0.82 and 0.17 mg L⁻¹ for nitrate, nitrite and ammonium, respectively. For samples of potatoes, the average shares of the nitrogen species found in the total nitrogen content were: 0.83% of nitrate nitrogen, <0.03% of nitrite nitrogen, 2.1% of ammonium nitrogen, 71% of nitro, azo, azoxy nitrogen, and 26% of amine, amide nitrogen. We expect the method to be applicable to different vegetable samples. The quality of the results obtained was verified by analyzing certified reference material and comparing to another analytical method.     

Optimisation of post-column reaction detector for HPLC of explosives

Summary Improvements in selectivity and sensitivity in the analysis of common explosives, like nitrate esters, nitramines and nitroaromatic compounds can be achieved by post-column derivatisation in a two step reaction detector. The first step in derivatisation is the photolysis of the analytes with UV at 254 nm. The photo reactor consists of a crocheted 20 m Tefzel capillary, which is coiled around a low pressure mercury lamp. In second step the nitrite ion generated is subsequently detected by a colourimetric reaction. The azo dye formed can be selectively detected at 540 nm.Addition of alkali after chromatographic separation to prevent oxidation of initially formed nitrite to nitrate during photolysis leads to a complex multistage arrangement. However, the contribution to peak broadening by the reactor is negligible and it is possible to detect 25–50 ppb of nitramines and 30–100 ppb of nitrate esters. Another advantage of the method is the selective detection of nitro compounds, even in complex matrices.The trace analysis of explosives is of growing interest in forensic science as well as in environmental analysis. It has been shown [1] that explosives can easily be extracted from soil and debris by the use of supercritical carbon dioxide. The separation and determination of explosives by gas chromatography is hindered by their thermal instability. In HPLC only the nitro aromatic explosives can be detected with sufficient sensitivity. Other types of explosives like the esters of nitric acid or nitramines do not absorb sufficiently in the UV region for sensitive detection. It has been shown [2] that explosives are liable to photochemical decomposition in the UV region, resulting in nitrate and nitrite, which have been detected after separation by ion-pair chromatography with electrochemical detection. A more sensitive and selective detection of nitrite has been possible in flow injection analysis [3]. Here a modified Griess reaction has been used. In a first step nitrite ions are used to form the diazonium salt with sulfanilamide which is coupled in a second step with N-[naphthyl-(1)]-ethylene diamine (NED) to form a redviolet azo dye with an absorption maximum at 540 nm. The advantage of this method is selective detection in the visible region, where hardly any other organic components are detected, which might be present in a crude environmental sample.In this paper the transfer of the Griess reaction to post-column derivatisation in RP chromatography of explosives will be described, and the optimisation of trace analysis of these solutes will be discussed.     

Synthesis,characterization, and application of monodisperse gelatin-stabilized silver nanospheres in reduction of aromatic nitro compounds

Monodisperse colloidal silver nanospheres were synthesized by the reaction of silver nitrate, hydroxylammonium hydrosulphate (NH₂OH)₂ · H₂SO₄ and sodium hydroxide in the presence of gelatin as stabilizer. Colloidal nanospheres were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and dynamic light scattering. X-ray diffraction data confirmed that the silver nanospheres were crystalline with face-centered-cubic structure. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed the formation of homogeneously distributed silver nanoparticles of spherical morphology and size of the nanoparticles was in the range of 0.7–5.2 nm. Silver nanospheres were stable for more than two months when stored at ambient temperature. Size and size distribution were studied by varying pH, reaction temperature, silver ion concentration in feed solution, concentration of reducing agent and concentration of the stabilizing agent. Catalytic activity of silver nanospheres was tested for the reduction reaction of nitro compounds in sodium borohydride solution. Monodisperse silver nanospheres showed excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds. The reduction rate of aromatic nitro compounds had been observed to follow the sequence 4-nitrophenol > 2-nitrophenol > 3-nitrophenol.     

Reaction paths of the formation and consumption of nitroorganic complex intermediates in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with propylene on zirconium dioxide according to in situ Fourier transform IR spectroscopic data

Nitrate, acetate, and nitroorganic complexes were detected on the surface of ZrO₂ under the reaction conditions of nitrogen oxide reduction with propylene using Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The nitroorganic complex was formed in the reaction between acetate and nitrate complexes by the replacement of the carboxyl group in the acetate complex by the nitro group. Monodentate nitrate was the most reactive species in this process. The adsorption of various nitroorganic substances was studied. It was found that the nitroorganic complex was structurally analogous to the nitromethane molecule bound to the surface through the nitro group. The experimental data led us to a conclusion that nitroorganic compounds were subsequently consumed in reactions with nitrate complexes. In this surface reaction, monodentate nitrate was also the most reactive species. The presence of oxygen had no effect on the consumption of the nitroorganic complex.     

毛细管区带电泳技术快速分离检测爆炸残留物中的无机离子

利用间接紫外毛细管区带电泳方法完成了对爆炸残留物中7种无机离子(K+,NH+4,NO-2,NO-3,SO2-4,ClO-3,ClO-4)的分离检测。阳离子测定采用的缓冲体系为10 mmol/L吡啶（pH 4.5）-3 mmol/L冠醚,K+和NH+4在2.6 min内达到基线分离,检出限分别为0.25 mg/L和0.10 mg/L(S/N=3)。阴离子测定采用的缓冲体系为40 mmol/L硼酸-1.8 mmol/L重铬酸钾-2 mmol/L硼酸钠（pH 8.6）,氢氧化四甲铵为电渗流改性剂,5种阴离子在4.6 min内达到基线分离,检出限为0.10～1.85 mg/L。该方法已成功地应用于实际爆炸物样品种类的判定分析,取得了很好的结果。     

Pore size and channel structure study of mesoporous SiO2 films on sensing trace explosive

In this work, a new type of naphthalene dye was synthesized for detecting nitro explosives in solution and mesoporous film system. The fluorescence quenching mechanism between dye and explosive was determined. For detecting nitro explosives in gas system, mesoporous silica films doped with this fluorescent dye were successfully fabricated using the sol–gel technology with different templates. Two-dimensional hexagonal structure mesoporous silica film was found sensitive to traces of nitroaromatic trinitrotoluene. When enlarging the pore size, to improve the sensitivity, a lower sensitivity was actually obtained. This can be explained by the small molecule diameter of the explosive and the relatively large surface area of the mesoporous films. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area can be enlarged by a suitable 3D pore channel structure so that the fluorescence quenching sensitivity is improved for the nitro aromatic compounds vapors. Optimizing the pore size and channel structure can therefore well improve the sensing efficiency in this system.     

一定条件下硝酸酯炸药与聚氨酯胶的相互作用研究

用气相质谱(GC-MS)、FTIR对在100℃下处理数十小时后的硝酸酯炸药、聚氨酯胶及二者隔离体系和接触体系的气相组分、凝聚相进行了表征。结果表明:两者直接接触后,彼此之间发生的变化主要由硝酸酯炸药发生分解产生的NO2促使聚氨酯胶的降解并加速自身的分解,聚氨酯胶的降解产物又进一步催化硝酸酯炸药的分解;两者间接接触后,各自释出的气氛对彼此的结构没有影响。     

The Synthesis and Application of Novel Nitrating and Nitrosating Agents

Alcohols and phenols are efficiently nitrated with thionyl chloride nitrate or thionyl nitrate, even in the presence of an aromatic moiety. While thionyl chloride nitrate is suitable for nitration of primary OH-groups in carbohydrates, thionyl nitrate is reactive enough to react with secondary OH-groups as well. These reagents permit the highly selective nitration of the 5′-,2′5′- and 3′, 5′-OH-groups of ribonucleosides to produce either mono-or diprotected nitro derivatives in high yields. Carbon acids and the enol form of some ketones are efficiently nitrated with trifluoromethanesulfonyl nitrate/potassium tert-butoxide. Lutidine N-oxide (2,6-(CH₃)₂C₅H₃N O) was found to have a marked effect on nitration reactions. Similarly, thionyl chloride nitrite and thionyl nitrite exhibit an excellent capacity for nitrosation of the aforementioned substrates.     

A theoretical study of explosive sensitizers

Quantum chemical calculations at the HF/6-31G^* and B3LYP/6-31G^* levels have been performed on five explosive sensitizers, ethyl nitrate (EN), n-propyl nitrate (NPN), isopropyl nitrate (IPN), 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (EHN) and tetraethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN). Theoretical study has made a detailed molecular-level investigation of the title compounds. Based on the Mulliken populations and bond lengths, the fission of the O₂–N₃ can be acceptable reasonably. Charge distribution analysis indicates that the five nitrates produce NO₂ gas during the dissociation of the O₂–N₃ weak bond. We also order the relative thermal stability of five nitrates on the basis of frontier orbital energy (E _HOMO, E _LUMO) and energy gap (ΔE = E _HOMO − E _LUMO).     

Synthetic routes for phenazines: an overview

Phenazines are known to exhibit a diverse range of biological properties, such as antimicrobial, antitumor, antioxidant, antimalarial, neuroprotectant, etc. Owing to their significant applications in both medicinal and industrial fields, the phenazine framework has emerged as a remarkable synthetic target. The most general approaches for synthesis of phenazines include the Wohl–Aue method, Beirut method, condensation of 1,2-diaminobenzenes with 2C-units, reductive cyclization of diphenylamines, oxidative cyclization of 1,2-diaminobenzene/diphenylamines, Pd-catalyzed N-arylation, multicomponent approaches, etc. Advances in the exploitation of synthetic routes for assembly of this scaffold are reported in this review.     

Efficient methods for the synthesis of 2-hydroxyphenazine based on the Pd-catalyzed N-arylation of aryl bromides

[reaction: see text] Substituted diphenylamines can be synthesized by Pd(0)-catalyzed N-arylation using o-nitroanilines and nitro-substituted aryl bromides for a substrate. Cyclization of the diphenylamines by various methods, including the intramolecular Pd(0)-catalyzed N-arylation, produces 2-methoxyphenazine which can easily be deprotected to give 2-hydroxyphenazine. This phenazine is required to synthesize methanophenazine, a novel redoxactive cofactor isolated from methanogenic archaea.     

Sythesis and crystal structure of a new nickel(II)-terpyridine complex: [Ni(terpy)(NO2)(ONO)(H2O)]

The compounds Ni(terpy)Cl₂ · 3H₂O and NaNO₂ react readily in aqueous solution to give the complex [Ni(terpy)(NO₂)(ONO)(H₂O)], which has been structurally characterized by an X-ray diffraction study. The hexacoordinate nickel atom bonds to three nitrogen atoms of the terpyridine ligand, to a “nitro” group, to a “nitrite” group and to a water molecule. Distortion from an octahedron to a trigonal prism, for the complex, has been evaluated. An infrared study of the complex has been carried out and shows bands of nitro and nitrite coordination. Magnetic study reveals a Curie-Weiss behavior, giving an effective magnetic moment at room temperature 3.12 B.M.     

Thermolysis of hydrogen sulphate,nitrate and perchlorate salts of diphenylamine. Part LXVIII

Hydrogen sulphate, nitrate and perchlorate salts of diphenylamine have been prepared and characterized by elemental, spectral and gravimetric analyses. Thermal decomposition of these salts has been evaluated by TG (static air) and DSC (inert atmosphere). The proton transfer reaction plays a major role during thermolysis of these salts. The diphenylammonium hydrogen sulphate under thermal and microwave irradiation forms 4-(phenylamino) benzenesulphonic acid by sulphonation process, whereas nitrate and perchlorate salts do not form corresponding nitro and perchloro derivatives, rather they ignite and explode, respectively, to form gaseous products along with a residual carbon .