sylla
Alchimiste Belge Notoire
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HMTD to NH3
I have done a small batch of HMTD using acetic acid way. I've done it thousands of times (maybe not thousands but a lot of :p) but this time I
used NaOH (30%) to neutralise the remaining acetic acid.
Then a strange thing happened : It smelt NH3... Have you ever seen HMTD releasing NH3 ? (As the only source of nitrogen is the explosive peroxide !)
It stopped smelling ammonia when I washed it with clean water. So, I'm pretty sure NaOH plays a role in it.
Do you have any idea ? Could it be dangerous if HMTD begins to decompose in the filter ?
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chemoleo
Biochemicus Energeticus
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Looks like the strong base decomposed the HMTD. 30% will be several molar, so very strong (much unlike NaHCO3). Anyone care to give a mechanistic
route?
HMTD decomposes even in the absence of a strong base during the period of several months, and NH3 is one of the products - so it seems you got nothing
unusual.
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Mumbles
Hazard to Others
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7.5M to be more exact. Just curious, but what prompted you to use NaOH to neutralise it this time. It sounds as if you've never tried this
before at least.
Heres one theory, doubt its correct though. Using the strong NaOH, it breaks the cyclic peroxide bonds. They don't like strongly alkaline
environment as far as I know. Then the resulting compound, hexamine most likely, reacts with the NaOH forming NH<sub>4</sub>OH. This
decomposes to NH<sub>3</sub> and H<sub>2</sub>O, just like the classic Ammonia gas preparation.
What I find kinda odd though is that Ammonia gas is liberated but not formaldehyde. The Hexamine doesn't list either NaOH or strong alkaline
environments as an incompatibility.
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sylla
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I used to wash it with sodium bicarbonate but the bottle was empty yesterday...
I didn't know peroxides doesn't like strong base, thx for the tips 
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Microtek
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Very few energetic materials can stand concentrated NaOH; especially with heating of course...
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