Electrochemically triggered degradation of energetic material FOX-7 (2,2-dinitroethene-1,1-diamine) - Structural, redox, and spectrometric characterization in solution

This work represents systemati11c electrochemical and spectrometric characterization of 2,2-dinitroethene-1,1-diamine, the energetic material (explosive) known as FOX-7, in aqueous as well as various organic solvents. On the basis of results obtained from combination of electrochemistry with ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR), infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatography (GC), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods, the actual structure of FOX-7 in various media was revealed, its reducibility was described, and radical intermediates as well as most of the products were intercepted and identified. Instead of expected cathodic reduction of the dinitro derivative, electrochemically initiated spontaneous degradation accompanied by release of gaseous products in all media was found.