It has been found possible to convert diethanolamine to β,β-dinitroxydiethylnitramine by inclusion of hydrogen chloride or one of its salts as catalyst. The structure of this powerful explosive has been demonstrated by an alternative synthesis involving nitrosation of dinitroxydiethylammonium nitrate, followed by subsequent oxidation of dinitroxydiethylnitrosamine to the corresponding nitramine. The nitrosamine, which is unstable in boiling water, is evidently an impurity in the crude nitramine. It may be removed from the stable nitramine by blowing the suspension of molten crude product with steam. The pure explosive is a stable low-melting solid with power and detonation rate higher than those of nitroglycerin. Its insensitiveness to impact as compared with nitroglycerin recommends it as a replacement for the latter substance in explosive compositions.

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