Official Comment Count: 1,034,498

Search this blog

Profile

Molecules: You'd better learn to live with them.

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Blogroll

Other Information


The author is not a physician. The content on this website does not, and is not intended to constitute medical advice. It should not be relied upon when making medical decisions. It is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare provider.

« Adamantane (That's like, what, a million diamonds for $400?) | Main | Muscovite (Making things flat with tape) »

Hexamine (Self-assembly is neat)

Category: Explosives
Posted on: May 15, 2008 9:00 AM, by Molecule of the Day

Hexamine is a nitrogenous analogue of adamantane.

The coolest thing about it is the exceptionally stable adamantyl-type system assembles on its own if you just mix ammonia and formaldehyde gas. It's got loads of uses, from little fuel tabs for stoves, to a component of explosive mixtures, to deodorant in China (anyone care to elaborate?)

Comments

Will hexamine co-crystallize with CBr_4 to give a very porous open network with N->Br donation at the organic tecton's vertices?

Substitute a mole of SO_2(NH_2)_2 for each two moles of ammonia. Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine is remarkably toxic.


Posted by: Uncle Al | May 15, 2008 12:00 PM

No nice graphics for how it self-assemblies? What does it do? I'd say it would not form vesicles, bilayers etc...

Posted by: Egon Willighagen | May 16, 2008 8:34 AM

Ohh how I love hexamine....

Posted by: Jamie | May 20, 2008 2:26 PM

the lone pair on the nitrogen in NH3 acts as a strong nucleophile towards the delta-positive carbonyl in H2CO (formaldehyde), and NH3 is acidic enough to protonate the carbonyl oxygen (so it can eliminate as water).
Cool example.

Posted by: Eximus | May 20, 2008 3:42 PM

Post a Comment

(Email is required for authentication purposes only. Comments are moderated for spam, your comment may not appear immediately. Thanks for waiting.)





Having problems commenting? (UPDATED)

Blogs in the Network

Advertisement

Top Five: Most Active

  1. Those crazy Brits 10.13.2008 · PZ Myers
  2. They're much tastier dipped in chocolate 10.12.2008 · PZ Myers
  3. McCain on Negative Attack Ads 10.13.2008 · Ed Brayton
  4. If McCain loses, God's Reputation Will Suffer 10.13.2008 · Ed Brayton
  5. Milliken Unendorses McCain 10.13.2008 · Ed Brayton

Search All Blogs