10.1021/je60061a002
The study focuses on the preparation of high-purity model compounds resulting from the reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) for comparison with biodegradation products. The researchers aimed to produce 12 reduction products of TNT, including amino, hydroxylamino, azo, and azoxy compounds. They successfully synthesized eight compounds, two of which, 4,4',6,6'-tetranitro-2,2'-azoxytoluene and 2,4'-dimethyl-3,3',5,5'-tetranitro-ONN-azoxybenzene, are newly reported. The study details the preparation methods and improvements made in the purity of these compounds. Key chemicals involved include 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) as the starting material, and various reagents such as m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid, ammonium sulfide, and sodium hypochlorite used in the reduction and oxidation processes to produce the desired compounds. The study also discusses the challenges and modifications made to existing methods to achieve high-purity products.