Synthesis, characterization, thermal behaviour and single crystal X-ray analysis of two new insensitive high energy density materials [8-hydroxyquinolinium 5-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)barbiturate (I) and 8-hydroxyquinolinium 5-(5-chloro-2,4-dinitrophenyl)-1,3-dimethyl barbiturate (II)]

Barbiturates I and II have been synthesized as maroon red and red orange coloured solids by mixing the ethanolic solutions of 2-chloro-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene ( TNCB ), pyrimidine-2,4,6(1 H ,3 H ,5 H )-trione [barbituric acid ( BA )] and 8-hydroxyquinoline and 1,3-dichloro-4,6-dinitrobenzene ( DCDNB ), 1,3-dimethylpyrimidine-2,4,6(1 H ,3 H ,5 H )-trione(1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid) and 8-hydroxyquinoline respectively. The structures of these two barbiturates have been predicted from the spectral studies (UV-VIS, IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, mass) and elemental analysis. Qualitative tests have been carried out to infer the presence of nitrogen and nitro groups and also chlorine atom in barbiturate II . Slow evaporation of ethanol-dimethylsulphoxide/ethanol solutions of barbiturate I /barbiturate II at 293 K yielded good for X-Ray diffraction crystals. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the crystals further confirm the putative structures of the barbiturates. The asymmetric unit of the barbiturate I comprises of 8-hydroxyquinolinium cation, 5-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) barbiturate anion and a molecule of dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), which is used as a recrystallizing solvent. It crystallizes in the triclinic system with space group (centrosymmetric). Barbiturate II crystallizes in the orthorhombic system with space group P 2 1 2 1 2 1 (non-centrosymmetric). Barbiturates I and II are stable towards an impact sensitivity test, when a weight of 2 kg mass hammer is dropped from a height of 160 cm of the instrument. TGA / DTA analyses at four different heating rates (5, 10, 20, and 40 K/min) imply that they undergo exothermic decomposition (∼85%) in three different stages between 273 and 873 K. Activation energies for these decomposition processes have been calculated by employing Kissinger and Ozawa plots. Impact sensitivity test and activation energies have revealed that the titled barbiturates are insensitive high energy density materials ( IHEDMS ).