NOVEL SYNTHESES OF 1,3,3-TRINITROAZETIDINE

Alternative methods for the synthesis of 1,3,3-trinitroazetidine (TNAZ ) from epichlorohydrin, and benzyhydrylamine have been developed. Thes e approaches employ N-sulfonyl-3-(hydroxyimino)azetidines as penultima te intermediates and represent an improvement over previously publishe d methods which require either diazo containing intermediates or invol ve low yielding procedures. Parallel methods employing N-benzhydryl- a nd N-benzyl-3-(hydroxyimino)azetidine were also investigated as altern ate routes to TNAZ.