Has anyone heard of performing high level nitrations by disolving Nitrogen Dioxide in flourocarbons?
I have run across some info that seems to suggest that oxides of nitrogen are readly
soluable in F12 or F22, ect.
The nitrations are self quenching.....the exothermic energies released by the nitration
are immiedately absorbed by the flourocarbon which is vaporized and carrys off the heat.
The H2O released is crystalized (frozen) and removed by mechanical seperation; ie: filtering.
The nitric ester is recovered, depending on the nitrates soluability in the Freon, by decanting
or by evaporating the Freon leaving behind the nitric ester. That is the TNT dosen't
melt till well over 160*F, about 200*F, above the boiling point of F12.
this method is also reported to produce nitric esters of exceptional purity, ie: chromatographic
grade nitroglycerin.

Warmage

Now that's a very interesting angle for nitrations. I suppose one would use a dry ice acetone bath to get to the low temperatures needed? Technicially refrigerants are a bit more OTC than some solvents since one can buy a few hundred mL of the stuff at Wal-Mart for a few dollars. Do you happen to have any references handy about this kind of nitration?

I would be wary of such a method to make nitroglycerine simply because the transition between frozen nitro to thawed nitro can be quite dangerous if you don't do it under controlled conditions.

I'm probably way out with this but is there any way to make nitroglycerin sublime without going through the dangerous semi-solid phase? Could it be kept frozen and vacuum distilled?
It could behave like some liquids (e.g. water) that melt and boil at atmospheric pressure but sublime at low pressures and temperatures. I don't think anyone has dared to find out yet, becuse all I get on ask jeeves is anarchist-cookbook based (:D).
With nitroglycerine's low vapour pressure even at room temperature, you would need a very high vacuum, and I wouldn't like it to get into my vacuum pump...
Conclusion: there are easier ways to make nitro, but it could still be useful for doing other nitrations.
PS-This is a very strange coincidence because I just thought of almost the same thing a few hours before I read this post (me is very spooked).