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.