[FinEvitable]

Hey there!!
Weve been studing about Aromatic compounds with our professor and we were looking at phenols.

I was wondering if it is possible to nitrate TCP? I know that the Nitrionium ion is the stronger electrophille.
What sort of conditions would the reaction need to take place at?
If it was possible what sort of yeild of Pitric acid could i expect if any??
Thanks

[UnintentionalChaos]

Chlorine is very strongly deactivating of a aromatic ring's reactivity, and the compound you want to nitrate has 3 of them. I don't think that nitro groups will take the place of the chlorine atoms. The conditions required to achieve nitration of the remaining carbons would be extreme at best. The product, a nitrochlorophenol would be excruciatingly toxic and could possibly have some dioxin contamination.

If you want to make picric acid, *********.

[FinEvitable]

Thank you for that!  What is the best way to store picric acid safely? If i do make it i dont want any accidents arising from it.
Thanks for the help.

[UnintentionalChaos]

** Edit from the admin **

I'm leaving this in because it does not violate any forum rules specifically, though I would like to remind whoever reads it to look up information in a original and verifiable source (i.e., a book, encyclopedia, or supervision from a professional) rather than take for granted what is on the web, as this information is not verifiable.

** /Edit **

Obviously, don't make a lot of it if you do synthesize any. Store in a brown glass jar (actually a tight-lidded HDPE container stored in the dark may be better..in the event of an accidental explosion, no shrapnel) with an airtight lid. Store in a cool place, keep the contents wet with water...slightly inconvienent if needed for something, but greatly reduces the chance of accidental detonation/ignition. Also, keep it away from contact with metals. Metal picrates (notoriously lead picrate) are much more unstable explosives than picric acid itself. Stored properly, picric acid is just about as safe as any other compound you might have around.

The storage out of light in a cool place with as little air contact as possible is a good general storage procedure for just about anything.

[FinEvitable]

Thanks i have a few of the Brown bottles you get bench acids in so ill use that for storage.  Will picric acid decompose or it is safe to store for long periods of time?
thanks

[UnintentionalChaos]

It should be quite stable.

[hmx9123]

I edited one of the posts, as we do not discuss procedures for making explosives (or drugs, etc.) on the forums.  This is walking a fine line at the moment, so please do not go into detail on synthetic routes.

As for the theory behind it, were you to nitrate a trichlorobenzene, you would not replace the chlorine, but rather nitrate the unsubstituted ring positions, which would be exceedingly difficult to do.

Also, do not take advice from the internet on how to synthesize or store energetic materials.  It is generally unreliable, as anyone can post anything on the 'net.  For example, there is no mention of avoiding storing picric acid in a screw cap jar.  Is this necessary?  Is it useful?  Perhaps you would have never considered such a thing.  Look up the sources for yourself.