Analytical Characterization of Erythritol Tetranitrate, an Improvised Explosive.
Erythritol tetranitrate (ETN), an ester of nitric acid and erythritol, is a solid crystalline explosive with high explosive performance. Although it has never been used in any industrial or military application, it has become one of the most prepared and misused improvise explosives. In this study, several analytical techniques were explored to facilitate analysis in forensic laboratories. FTIR and Raman spectrometry measurements expand existing data and bring more detailed assignment of bands through the parallel study of erythritol [(15) N4 ] tetranitrate. In the case of powder diffraction, recently published data were verified, and (1) H, (13) C, and (15) N NMR spectra are discussed in detail. The technique of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was successfully used for the analysis of ETN. Described methods allow fast, versatile, and reliable detection or analysis of samples containing erythritol tetranitrate in forensic laboratories.
Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Energetic Materials, University of Pardubice, Studentska 95, 532 10, Pardubice, Czech Republic.
Robert
R
Matyáš
Research Institute for Organic Syntheses (VUOS), Rybitvi 296, 533 54, Pardubice, Czech Republic.|Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, 500 03, Hradec Kralove 3, Czech Republic.
Antonín
A
Lyčka
Faculty of Chemical Technology, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10, Pardubice, Czech Republic.
Robert
R
Jirásko
Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Energetic Materials, University of Pardubice, Studentska 95, 532 10, Pardubice, Czech Republic.
Zdeněk
Z
Jakový
University of Chemistry and Technology, Technicka 5, 166 28, Praha 6, Czech Republic.
Jaroslav
J
Maixner
Laboratory of Molecular Spectroscopy, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technicka 5, 166 28, Praha 6, Czech Republic.
Linda
L
Mišková
Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Energetic Materials, University of Pardubice, Studentska 95, 532 10, Pardubice, Czech Republic.
Martin
M
Künzel
NMR, FTIR and Raman spectrometry; X-ray diffraction spectroscopy; erythritol [15N4] tetranitrate; erythritol tetranitrate; forensic analysis; forensic science; improvised explosive; mass spectrometry