Does dinitratomethane exist?

In 2016 synthesis and structure of tetranitratoethane $\ce{C2H2N4O12}$ were reported [1]. Currently (as of 2017-Q4) this is the only dinitrato-carbon compound with the well-established crystal structure and composition:


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XKGRn.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/XKGRn.png)


This article also mentions dinitratomethane (reference number updated from 6 to 2):



> 
> While nitrate esters such as nitroglycerin (NG) and pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN) (Figure **2A** and **B**) are well known, only very few examples of germinal C-nitrato compounds are known. The simplest one, dinitratomethane (Figure **2C**) is a liquid which is obtained from nitration of 1,3,5-trioxane in a $\ce{HNO3/H2SO4}$ mixture [2].
> 
> 
> [![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0PaEp.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0PaEp.png)  
> 
> **Figure 2.** Structural formula of nitroglycerin (**A**), PETN (**B**), and dinitratomethane (**C**).
> 
> 
> 


However, I wasn't able neither to get the full-text of original paper from 1938, nor any more recent proofs of existence for dinitratomethane. Google Scholar returns only a couple of entries one of which is [1], and another one is a [PhD thesis](https://www.osti.gov/scitech/biblio/5426104). There are also [zero Ngrams for "dinitratomethane"](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=dinitratomethane&case_insensitive=on&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=), which is unusual. ChemSpider also lists this compound as [nitrooxymethyl nitrate (CAS 38483-28-2)](http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.11859.html).


Can anyone approve or disapprove the existence of dinitratomethane $\ce{CH2N2O6}$ (feel free to utilize computational chemistry too)?


### References


1. Fischer, D.; Klapötke, T. M.; Stierstorfer, J. *Chem. Comm.* **2016,** *52* (5), 916–918. [DOI: 10.1039/C5CC09010E](https://doi.org/10.1039/C5CC09010E).
2. G. Travagli, *Gazz. Chim. Ital.*, **1938**, 68, 718.




After some more research I'm pretty much convinced in its existence. As [Mithoron](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/users/9961/mithoron) [noticed in the comments](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/87489/does-dinitratomethane-exist#comment158334_87489), the name *dinitratomethane* is somewhat confusing, and is indeed not preferred.


I suppose the most accurate IUPAC-compatible one would be *(nitrooxy)methyl nitrate*. It also turned out that in the literature (mostly on regulated and hazardous chemicals) this compound is generally known as *methylene glycol dinitrate*.


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xc6un.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xc6un.png)


The second volume of a classic handbook *"Chemistry and Technology of Explosives"* [1, p. 155] gives the most extensive description I discovered (reference numbers are updated):



> 
> Methylene glycol dinitrate, or "nitromethylene glycol", is an oily liquid having a boiling point of $\pu{75-77 ^\circ C}$ at $\pu{20 mm Hg}$.
> 
> 
> It is a strong explosive, capable of dissolving collodion cotton. However it is not stable, being readily hydrolysed and therefore it is of no practical significance. 
> 
> 
> A method of obtaining this explosive, by the nitration of moist 
>  paraformaldehyde was patented by Travagli and Torboli [2]. They utilised the well-known property of formaldehyde of reacting like methylene glycol in the presence of water. 
> 
> 
> According to Travagli [3,4] methylene glycol dinitrate is obtained as follows: 
>  paraformaldehyde is dissolved in sulphuric acid and added drop-wise at $\pu{3-5 ^\circ C}$ into a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid. The resulting oil is separated and washed with water to give a final yield of $35\%$.
> 
> 
> 


The recent handbook of liquid explosives from 2015 [5, p. 227] contains virtually the same information without any updates, which indicates there simply hasn't been much of an interest in this compound due to its instability and lack of possible applications.


### References


1. Tadeusz Urbanski. Chemistry and Technology of Explosives, 1st ed., Pergamon Press GmbH, **1965**; Vol. 2.
2. G. O. Travagli and Torboli, Ital. Pat. 338080 **1935**.
3. G. O. Travagli, *Gazz. Chim. Ital.* **1938**, 68, 718.
4. G. O. Travagli, *Chimica ed Ind.* **1938**, 20, 389.
5. Jiping, L. Liquid explosives; Springer Berlin Heidelberg: New York, NY, **2015**. [ISBN 978-3-662-45847-1](http://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783662458464).


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