Method for synthesizing 5-aminotetrazole

摘要

A process of preparing 5-aminotetrazole ("5-AT") which proceeds at substantially neutral pH is disclosed. In the process, cyanamide or dicyandiamide and an azide salt are reacted at elevated temperature in the presence of an acid reagent. The acid reagent has a pKa in the range from about 3 to about 7. Large quantities of hydrazoic acid are not produced during the reaction. Upon completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture is acidified to a pH less than 3 to protonate the 5-AT. Several variations of the acidification step permit control of particle size and morphology. The precipitated particles are isolated to yield 5-AT.