Basic hydrolysis of glyceryl nitrate esters. III. Trinitroglycerin

Kinetics of the basic hydrolysis of glyceryl trinitrate (TNG) were investigated in CO2‐free aqueous calcium hydroxide solutions. The hydrolysis reactions were carried out in a temperature controlled reactor vessel with provision for continuous N2 sparging of the reaction mixture. TNG hydrolyzed via second‐order reaction at 25°C, 18°C, and 10°C. The activation energy of the hydrolysis reaction of TNG was calculated from the kinetic data and found to be equal to 27.53 kcal/mol. The major products of the hydrolysis of TNG in solution of calcium hydroxide were calcium nitrate and calcium nitrite, accounting for approximately 50% of the degradation products. The minor identified products such as calcium oxalate and nitrate esters amounted to approximatey 6% of the products. The remaining 30% of the isolated products was a mixture of calcium formate, a nitrate ester, and unidentified volatiles, polymerlike substances, and other organic residue.