N-nitration of 1(2)-substituted 5-aminotetrazoles with tetranitromethane

1(2)-Methyl-5-aminotetrazoles and 2-(-cyanoethyl)-5-aminotetrazole are nitrated by tetranitromethane in the presence of bases with the formation of salts of the corresponding 5-nitroaminotetrazole derivatives. In contrast to this, decyanoethylation takes place in nitration of 1-(-cyanoethyl)-5-aminotetrazole by tetranitromethane with the formation of 5-nitroaminotetrazole salt. The structure of the 2-methyl-5-nitroaminotetrazole salts (using the 2-methyl-5-nitroaminotetrazole potassium salt) was confirmed by x-ray structural analysis.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1067–1071, August, 1991.