THE PREPARATION OF POLYNITROETHYLENEAMINES

By means of chloride-catalyzed nitration, polynitroamines analogues of Edna (N,N′-dinitroethylenediamine) were prepared in fairly good yields. The compounds to be nitrated were obtained by the condensation of acetonecyanohydrin with ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, and tetraethylenepentamine. The secondary amines resulting from the condensation, although less basic in character, have nevertheless required for nitration the addition of one equivalent of chloride catalyst. When the products of the condensation with acetonecyanohydrin were isolated, as hydrochloride salts, no additional chloride was needed to assure nitration. The analysis of the hydrochloride derivatives were found to be in close agreement with the proposed structural formula.