Methyl nitrate
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| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
methyl nitrate
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| Other names
nitric acid methyl ester
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| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.009.039 |
PubChem CID
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |
| CH3NO3 | |
| Molar mass | 77.04 g/mol |
| Appearance | Liquid |
| Density | 1.203 g/cm³, liquid |
| Melting point | -82.3 °C[1] |
| Boiling point | 64.6 °C (explodes)[1] |
| Hazards | |
| Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards
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Toxic, High Explosive |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Methyl nitrate is the methyl ester of nitric acid and has the chemical formula CH3NO3.
Methyl nitrate is toxic and a sensitive explosive. It causes headaches when fumes are inhaled. It can be produced by the condensation of nitric acid and methanol:
- CH3OH + HNO3 → CH3NO3 + H2O
When ignited it burns extremely fiercely with a gray-blue flame.
Methyl nitrate can be produced on a laboratory or industrial scale either through the distillation of a mixture of methanol and nitric acid, or by the nitration of methanol by a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids. The first procedure is not preferred due to the great explosion danger presented by the methyl nitrate vapour. The second procedure is essentially identical to that of making nitroglycerin. However, the process is usually run at a slightly higher temperature and the mixture is stirred mechanically on an industrial scale instead of with compressed air.
The velocity of detonation (VOD) of methyl nitrate is 8000 m/s and is one of the most brisant explosives known. The sensitivity of methyl nitrate to initiation by detonation is among the greatest known, with even a number one blasting cap, the lowest power available, producing a near full detonation of the explosive.
Despite the superior explosive properties of methyl nitrate, it has not received application as an explosive due mostly to its high volatility, which prevents it from being stored or handled safely. It was used as a rocket fuel by Germany in World War II, in a mixture containing 25% methanol, which was named "myrol". This mixture would evaporate at a constant rate and so its composition would not change over time. It presents a slight explosive danger (it is somewhat difficult to detonate) and does not detonate easily via shock.