Stabilized munitions containing a NENA compound

A composition comprising ammonium perchlorate, a NENA compound selected from N-butyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (BuNENA), N-ethyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (EtNENA), N-methyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (MeNENA) or N,N'-dinitratoethylnitramine (DINA), or combinations thereof, and a stabilizer compound of either:

• i) formula I ##STR9## wherein each X may independently be a direct link, or a carbon, nitrogen, --N--N--, silicon, sulphur or phosphorous atom, m and n may be 0, 1, 2 or 3, and R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 may, independently be hydrogen, amino or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes,
• with the proviso that when X is a nitrogen atom, or is --N--N--, and m or n, for the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 group connected to said nitrogen atom or --N--N--, is 2, and one of the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to said nitrogen atom, or said --N--N--, is hydrogen, then the other of said R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to the said nitrogen atom, or --N--N--, is not an aryl group;
• or, ii) formula II ##STR10## wherein X, m and n have the meanings set out for formula I, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may, independently be hydrogen, nitro or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes, and
• Y may be hydrogen, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl,
• and wherein the compounds of formula I or II are Lewis bases.

A munition comprising a mixture of ammonium perchlorate and a NENA (nitratoethylnitramine) compound in combination with a stabilizer compound, wherein said stabilizer is either

• i) a compound of formula I ##STR11## wherein each X may independently be a direct link, or a carbon, nitrogen, --N--N--, silicon, sulphur or phosphorous atom, m and n may be 0, 1, 2 or 3, and R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 may, independently be hydrogen, amino or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes,
• with the proviso that when X is a nitrogen atom, or is --N--N--, and m or n, for the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 group connected to said nitrogen atom or --N--N--, is 2, and one of the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to said nitrogen atom, or said --N--N--, is hydrogen, then the other of said R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to the said nitrogen atom, or --N--N--, is not an aryl group;
• or, ii) a compound of formula II ##STR12## wherein X, m and n have the meanings set out for formula I, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may, independently be hydrogen, nitro or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes, and
• Y may be hydrogen, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl,
• and wherein the compounds of formula I or II are Lewis bases.

A propellant comprising ammonium perchlorate, a NENA compound selected from N-butyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (BuNENA), N-ethyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (EtNENA), N-methyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (MeNENA) or N,N'-dinitratoethylnitramine (DINA), or combinations thereof and a stabilizer compound of either:

• i) formula I ##STR13## wherein each X may independently be a direct link, or a carbon, nitrogen, --N--N--, silicon, sulphur or phosphorous atom, m and n may be 0, 1, 2 or 3, and R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 may, independently be hydrogen, amino or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes,
• with the proviso that when X is a nitrogen atom, or is --N--N--, and m or n, for the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 group connected to said nitrogen atom or --N--N--, is 2, and one of the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to said nitrogen atom, or said --N--N--, is hydrogen, then the other of said R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to the said nitrogen atom, or --N--N--, is not an aryl group;
• or, ii) formula II ##STR14## wherein X, m and n have the meanings set out for formula I, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may, independently be hydrogen, nitro or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes, and
• Y may be hydrogen, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl,
• and wherein the compounds of formula I or II are Lewis bases.

A process for the production of a stabilized ammonium perchlorate/NENA composition comprising blending a mixture of ammonium perchlorate and a NENA compound selected from N-butyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (BuNENA), N-ethyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (EtNENA), N-methyl-N-nitratoethylnitramine (MeNENA) or N,N'-dinitratoethylnitramine (DINA), or combinations thereof, together with a stabilizer compound of either:

• i) formula I ##STR15## wherein each X may independently be a direct link, or a carbon, nitrogen, --N--N--, silicon, sulphur or phosphorous atom, m and n may be 0, 1, 2 or 3, and R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 may, independently be hydrogen, amino or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes,
• with the proviso that when X is a nitrogen atom, or is --N--N--, and m or n, for the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 group connected to said nitrogen atom or --N--N--, is 2, and one of the R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to said nitrogen atom, or said --N--N--, is hydrogen, then the other of said R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 groups connected to the said nitrogen atom, or --N--N--, is not an aryl group;
• or, ii) formula II ##STR16## wherein X, m and n have the meanings set out for formula I, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may, independently be hydrogen, nitro or C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, aryl, alkenyl or alkyne, which may be optionally substituted with halogen, nitro, nitrate ester, sulphonate, phosphonates, esters, ketones or aldehydes, and
• Y may be hydrogen, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl,
• and wherein the compounds of formula I or II are Lewis bases.