Hydrolysis of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20)

The hydrolysis of the alpha, beta, and epsilon polymorphs of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexariitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzi-tane(CL-20) was investigated in dilute buffered aqueons solutions over a pH range of 4-10 and at 35, 43, 50, 58 and 65 degrees C, with starting concentrations of CL-20 at one half the solubility limit for the respective temperature. In all cases, an overall first-order kinetic behavior was observed. The rate constants, half-lives, activation energies, and Arrhenius pre-exponential factors were determined. The latter was found to vary linearly with pH. Based on these findings, general formulas for the hydrolysis kinetics of the three polymorphs were developed.