High Nitrogen Explosives. Part 2. Dibenzo-1 ,3a,4,6a- Tetraazapentalenes and Benzo-1 2,3,4-Tetrazine-1,3-Dioxides

High nitrogen materials are sought as a potentially dense, powerful but insensitive explosive and propellant ingredients. Elucidation of the structure and chemistry of dibenzo-1 ,3a,4,6a-tetraazapentalenes has continued, with particular attention to a putative C12N12O12 derivative initially prepared at the University of New Orleans. This research contributed substantially to identification of the actual o-quinone hydrate structure, and explanation of the apparently anomalous explosive insensitivity of the material. Synthesis of the novel 5,7-dinitrobenzo-1 ,2,3,4-tetrazine-1,3-dioxide has been repeated, its structure has been confirmed, and preliminary evaluation of its explosive sensitivity has been completed. See also Part 1, AD-A285 388.