DMDNB, or also DMNB, chemically 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane, is a volatile organic compound used as a detection taggant for explosives, mostly in the United States where it is virtually the only such taggant in use. Dogs are very sensitive to it and can detect as little as 0.5 parts per billion in the air, as can specialised ion mobility spectrometers. Its presence allows more reliable explosive detection.

DMDNB[1]
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
2,3-Dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane
Other names
2,3-Dimethyl-2,3-dinitro-n-butane, DMDNB, DMNB
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.021.428 Edit this at Wikidata
  • InChI=1/C6H12N2O4/c1-5(2,7(9)10)6(3,4)8(11)12/h1-4H3
    Key: DWCLXOREGBLXTD-UHFFFAOYAA
  • CC(C)(C(C)(C)[N+](=O)[O-])[N+](=O)[O-]
Properties
C6H12N2O4
Molar mass 176.172 g·mol−1
Melting point 210 to 214 °C (410 to 417 °F; 483 to 487 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

References

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