The Many Faces of FOX-7: A Precursor to High-Performance Energetic Materials

New derivatives of 1,1‐diamino‐2, 2‐dinitroethene (FOX‐7) are reported. These highly oxygen‐ and nitrogen‐rich compounds were fully characterized using IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis (EA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). X‐ray structure determination of (E)‐1,2‐bis{(E)‐2‐chloro‐1‐(chloroimino)‐2,2‐dinitroethyl}diazene) (10), N1, N2‐dichloro‐1, 2‐diazenedicarboximidamide (11), and (E,E)‐N,N′‐1,2‐ethanediylidenebis(2, 2‐dinitro‐2‐chloro‐ethanamine) (12) was helpful in their characterization. Heats of formation (HOF) were calculated (Gaussian 03) and combined with experimental densities to estimate the detonation velocities (D) and pressures (P) of the high‐energy‐density materials (HEDMs) (EXPLO5, v6.01). The compounds exhibit good thermal stability, high density, positive HOF, acceptable oxygen balances, and excellent detonation properties, which often are superior to that of 1,3,5‐trinitroperhydro‐1,3,5‐triazine (RDX). Fox in a box: New derivatives created from 1,1‐diamino‐2, 2‐dinitroethene (FOX‐7) often have properties superior to those of RDX. The compounds exhibit good thermal stability, high density, positive heats of formation, an acceptable oxygen balance, and excellent detonation properties. These findings contribute to the value of FOX‐7 as an energetic precursor.