Synthesis 1:
Prepare a solution of 2.0 g of pentanitroaniline dissolved in 20 mL of room temperature acetic acid.  Slowly add 1.63 g of sodium azide, with stirring, in small portions while keeping the temperature below 32 C.  Stir the solution for 15 minutes at 25 C, and then heat the solution on a water bath at 80 C for 1 hour while stirring.  Stop heating and let the solution sit at room temperature for 12-16 hours to allow for complete precipitation of the product.  Filter to collect the yellow precipitate, wash it with two 25 mL portions of water, and allow to dry.  Final yield is nearly 1.2 g or 73%.

Synthesis 2:
Prepare a solution of 5.0 g of pentanitroaniline dissolved in 800 mL of room temperature dichloroethane.  Prepare a second solution of 2.14 g of sodium azide in 50 mL of water.  Slowly add the azide solution dropwise to the pentanitroaniline solution while keeping the temperature below 30 C.  Stir the mixture for 1 hour at room temperature.  Stop stirring and allow the immiscible layers to form, collect the dichloroethane layer and place it in an Erlenmeyer flask. Dry the solvent by adding several grams of anhydrous magnesium sulfate and stirring for 2 hours.  Filter to remove the magnesium sulfate, and then place the filtrate in a round-bottomed flask.  Reflux the filtrate for 90 minutes, and then allow it to cool to room temperature.  While cooling a yellow precipitate should form, filter to collect this material, wash it with one portion of 50 mL of dichloroethane, and allow to dry in the open air.  Final yield of CL-18 is a little over 2.3 g or 58%.

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