One-Pot Synthesis of Guanidinium 5,5′-Azotetrazolate\nAvoiding Isolation of Hazardous Sodium 5,5′-Azotetrazolate

Sodium 5,5′-azotetrazolate\n(Na<sub>2</sub>AzT) is a starting\nmaterial for various azotetrazole salts that find applications as\nlead-free primary explosives or high-nitrogen compounds for inflating\nsafety systems (in particular, guanidinium azotetrazolate, GZT). Sodium\nazotetrazolate, after preparation, is commonly isolated as the pentahydrate,\nwhich is relatively safe for handling. But it readily loses hydrate\nwater molecules at higher temperatures or by treatment with organic\nsolvents. In such cases, sensitivity to mechanical stimuli increases\nconsiderably and explosion accidents may occur. In this work, the\nthermal conditions and the role of solvents in water loss from sodium\n5,5′-azotetrazolate pentahydrate are presented. Impact and\nfriction sensitivity parameters of the products are described. In\nthe case of guanidinium azotetrazolate, the process for its preparation\nwithout producing sodium 5,5′-azotetrazolate is introduced,\nthus avoiding manipulation of hazardous material and increasing the\nsafety of the procedure.