Spectroscopic characterization of different structural forms of the new promising energetic material FOX-7 in different solvents

UV–vis, IR and NMR spectroscopy were utilized as direct monitoring techniques for structure changes of a new promising energetic material FOX-7 in different protic and aprotic solvents. The dissolved FOX-7 indicates changes in molecular structure as compared with that in solid-state. The push–pull properties of the molecule together with the effects of solvents result in charge separated zwitterion formed in solution. By combination of different spectroscopic techniques, structural changes of charge-separated molecule of FOX-7 were described in dependence on the solvent properties, temperature, proton activity and concentration. From the analytical point of view, the lowest detectable concentration of FOX-7 using UV–vis spectra was determined to approximately 6 × 10−7 mol L−1.