Treatment of Substandard Rocket Fuel 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine via Its Methylene Derivative into Heterocycles Based on Pyrrolo-[3,4c]Quinolines, Cyclododeca[b]piran and Pyrrole

Abstract

1,1-Dimethylhydrazine (Heptil, rocket fuel (UDMH)) is characterized by extremely high toxicity, teratogenicity and the ability to constantly absorb water from the atmosphere, losing its energy characteristics. In this regard, as well as due to the alternative fuel (“Angara”) transition, there is a need for UDMH utilization in huge amounts. A more benign approach involves its immediate reaction with a formalin solution to form 1,1–dimethyl-2-methylene hydrazone (MDH), which is significantly less toxic by an order of magnitude. MDH can then be polymerized under acidic conditions, and the resulting product can be burned, yielding a substantial amount of nitrogen oxides. We propose an alternative to incineration by involving MDH in organic synthesis. We studied the reactions of MDH and its analog N,N-dimethyl-2-(methylenamino)ethane-1-amine (MDEA) with available CH-acids: tetracyanoethylated ketones (TCEKs) based on cyclohexanone, 4-propylcyclohexanone, 2-methylcyclohexanone, cyclododecanone and tetracyanoethane. The structures synthesized were confirmed by IR, 1H, 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy methods. MDH-based adducts were also identified by X-ray structural analysis. TCEKs and MDH, as well as TCEK based on cyclohexanone and MDEA, form bi- and tricyclic structures: pyrrolo [3,4c]-quinolines (using TCEKs based on cyclohexanone and 4-propylcyclohexanone), epiminomethanoquinoline-3,4-dicarbonitrile (using TCEK based on 2-methylcyclohexanone) and cyclododec[b]pyran-3,4-dicarbonitrile (using TCEK based on cyclododecanone). MDH and TCNEH2 formed a pyrrole derivative. Thus, we synthesized the structures that are of interest for molecular design and pharmaceutical chemistry.