Charge density studies of energetic material: RDX

Abstract

Experimental charge density study has been carried out for Cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (space group Pbca), an explosive material from a low temperature X-ray diffraction experiment. The electron density was modeled using the Hansen-Coppens multipole model and refined to R=0.032 for 6226 unique observed reflections. The electron density, laplacian and electrostatic potential distributions are reported and discussed, especially, the properties of the bond (3,-1) critical points, which are thought to play a key role in the decomposition of the molecule. From the bond topological analysis of all the bonds, it is observed that the N–N bond is the weakest. The dominating nature of the oxygen atoms was clearly well understood from isosurface electrostatic potential of isolated and symmetrically sitting molecules in the crystal.