Editing RDX (section)

==Synthesis==
RDX is classified by chemists as a [[hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine]] derivative. In laboratory settings (industrial routes are described below separately) it is obtained by treating [[hexamine]] with [[white fuming nitric acid]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Citation |last1=Luo |first1=K.-M. |last2=Lin |first2=S.-H. |last3=Chang |first3=J.-G. |last4=Huang |first4=T.-H. |title=Evaluations of kinetic parameters and critical runaway conditions in the reaction system of hexamine-nitric acid to produce RDX in a non-isothermal batch reactor |journal=Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=119–127 |year=2002 |doi=10.1016/S0950-4230(01)00027-4 |bibcode=2002JLPPI..15..119L |postscript=.}}</ref>
:[[File:Synthesis hexogen.svg|400px|class=skin-invert-image]]

This [[nitrolysis]] reaction also produces methylene dinitrate, [[ammonium nitrate]], and water as by-products. The overall reaction is:<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
:C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>12</sub>N<sub>4</sub> + 10 HNO<sub>3</sub> → C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>N<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub> + 3 CH<sub>2</sub>(ONO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub> + NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub> + 3 H<sub>2</sub>O
The conventional cheap [[nitration]] agent, called "mixed acid", cannot be used for RDX synthesis because concentrated sulfuric acid conventionally used to stimulate the [[nitronium ion]] formation decomposes hexamine into formaldehyde and ammonia.

Modern syntheses employ [[Hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine|hexahydro triacyl triazine]] as it avoids formation of HMX.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gilbert |first1=E. E. |last2=Leccacorvi |first2=J. R. |last3=Warman |first3=M. |chapter=23. The Preparation of RDX from 1,3,5-Triacylhexahydro-''s''-triazines |title=Industrial and Laboratory Nitrations |editor1-first=Lyle F. |editor1-last=Albright |editor2-first=Carl |editor2-last=Hanson |series=ACS Symposium Series |volume=22 |pages=327–340 |doi=10.1021/bk-1976-0022.ch023 |date=1 June 1976|isbn=978-0-8412-0306-8 }}</ref>