Xylitol pentanitrate – its characterization and analysis

Abstract Xylitol is a polyhydric alcohol that may be nitrated to form an explosive (xylitol pentanitrate or XPN). Consequently, forensic and first response personnel may encounter XPN in post-blast residues or as a bulk material. Despite this, key analytical data for XPN that may be used in first response or forensic operations to aid its detection are not yet available in the literature. The present article provides infrared spectrometry, Raman spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, chromatography and mass spectrometry data in order to address this knowledge gap.