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This report evaluates the large body of work involving the decomposition of PETN and identifies the major decomposition routes and byproducts. From these studies it becomes apparent that the PETN decomposition mechanisms and the resulting byproducts are primarily determined by the chemical environment. In the absence of water, PETN can decompose through the scission of the O-NO 2 bond resulting in the formation of an alkoxy radical and NO 2. Because of the relatively high reactivity of both these initial byproducts, they are believed to drive a number of autocatalytic reactions eventually forming (NO 2 OCH 2) 3 CCHO, (NO 2 OCH 2) 2 C=CHONO 2 , NO 2 OCH=C=CHONO 2 , (NO 2 OCH 2) 3 C-NO 2 , (NO 2 OCH 2) 2 C(NO 2) 2 , NO 2 OCH 2 C(NO 2) 3 , and C(NO 2) 4 as well as polymer-like species such as di-PEHN and tri-PEON. Surprisingly, the products of many of these proposed autocatalytic reactions have never been analytically validated. Conversely, in the presence of water, PETN has been shown to decompose primarily to mono, di, and tri nitrates of pentaerythritol.

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