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Sulfuric, Hydrochloric, and Nitric Acid‐Catalyzed Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) Reaction Mixtures: An Aging Study
Author(s) -
Fitzgerald Mark,
Bilusich Daniel
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01806.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , nitric acid , sulfuric acid , hydrochloric acid , catalysis , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , nuclear chemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry
The organic peroxide explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is regularly encountered by law enforcement agents in various stages of its production. This study utilizes solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to examine sulfuric acid‐, hydrochloric acid‐, and nitric acid‐catalyzed TATP syntheses during the initial 24 h of these reactions at low temperatures (5–9°C). Additionally, aging of the reaction mixtures was examined at both low and ambient temperatures (19–21°C) for a further 9 days. For each experiment, TATP could be readily identified in the headspace above the reaction mixture 1 h subsequent to the combination of reagents; at 24 h, TATP and diacetone diperoxide (DADP) were prominent. TATP degraded more rapidly than DADP. Additionally, chlorinated acetones chloroacetone and 1,1,‐dichloroacetone were identified in the headspace above the hydrochloric acid‐catalyzed TATP reaction mixture. These were not present when the catalyst was sulfuric acid or nitric acid.