Copper(II) Chlorate Complexes: The Renaissance of a Forgotten and Misjudged Energetic Anion

A convenient synthetic
route toward new copper­(II) chlorate complexes
with potential use in modern advanced ignition or initiation systems
is described. Obtained compounds were not only accurately characterized
(XRD, IR, UV/Vis EA and DTA) but also investigated for their energetic
character (sensitivities, initiation capability and laser ignition).
The copper 4-aminotriazolyl chlorate complex showed excellent initiation
of PETN, while also being thermally stable and safe to handle. Solid-state
UV–Vis measurements were performed to get a possible insight
toward the laser initiation mechanism. In contrast to expectations,
the presented copper­(II) chlorate energetic coordination compounds
show manageable sensitivities that can be tamed or boosted by the
appropriate choice of nitrogen-rich ligands.