1,1'-Azobis(1,2,3,4-tetrazole)

1,1'-Azobis(1,2,3,4-tetrazole) is a highly explosive and unstable chemical compound discovered by Thomas M. Klapötke and Davin G. Piercey at LMU Munich which contains a long continuous chain of nitrogen atoms, with an unbroken chain of ten nitrogen atoms contained within two 1,2,3,4-tetrazole rings and an azo bridge. It is related to 1,1'-azobis-1,2,3-triazole^[1] which has a similar structure but with an 8 nitrogen atom chain through the replacement of two N atoms with C-H groups. It is stable only up to 80 Â°C and is reported to be one of the most sensitive explosives in existence. ^[2]

we experienced several inadvertent explosions during handling such as allowing the dry powder to slide down the inside of a Raman tube or slowing down the rotation rate of a rotary evaporator as 4 crystallized. The material demands the utmost care in handling, and the sensitivities were well below the measurable limit (<5 N friction and <1 J impact) of our safety characterization equipment; the material violently explodes when impacted with a 150 g hammer at 2 cm (∼0.03 J). It is among the most sensitive materials that we have handled

Quick facts Names, Identifiers ...

1,1'-Azobis(1,2,3,4-tetrazole)

Names
Preferred IUPAC name 1,1′-Diazenediyldi(1H-tetrazole)
Identifiers
CAS Number	1282522-34-2
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
PubChem CID	69817332
InChI InChI=1S/C2H2N10/c1-3-5-7-11(1)9-10-12-2-4-6-8-12/h1-2H Key: SETQWLRMPKPJQM-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES C1=NN=NN1N=NN2C=NN=N2
Properties
Chemical formula	C2H2N10
Molar mass	166.108 g·mol−1
Appearance	yellow (cis isomer) white (trans isomer)
Density	1.774
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards	shock-sensitive explosive
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 Â°C [77 Â°F], 100 kPa). Y verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

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The ten-nitrogen chain was the record for the longest continuous chain of nitrogen atoms in a chemical compound until Chinese researchers prepared a compound with an 11-nitrogen chain.^[3] It is too sensitive to be used as a practical explosive^[4][5] and is more sensitive than 1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole which is often erroneously reported as the most sensitive explosive.^[6] Cis‐trans isomerization occurs under UV light exposure.^[2]