Continuous and Electrochemical Synthesis of 2,2’,4,4’,6,6’‐Hexanitrostilbene

Abstract 2,2′,4,4′,6,6′‐Hexanitrostilbene, an excellent thermally stable explosive, has diverse applications in aerospace field. However, current methods for fabricating this compound entail environmental concerns and the generation of undesirable by‐products. To overcome such limitations, in this study, a continuous method based on the use of a static mixer combined with electrochemistry was used to prepare 2,2’,4,4’,6,6’‐hexanitrostilbene for the first time, and the yield of hexanitrostilbene produced by the continuous process reached 65 %. The use of the static mixer enables the effective mixing of the material; in addition, the electrocatalytic method converts the by‐products into the target product, making the reaction process efficient and environmentally friendly. This method concurrently combines the advantages of a simple reaction process for the one‐step synthesis of the target product, easy large‐scale continuous production, and high yield.