Dinitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH<sub>2</sub>(NO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>. Purified dinitromethane is a colorless liquid with a weak pleasant odor. It is relatively stable at room temperature and can be safely stored for months at 0 ðC.
The conjugate base of dinitromethane, dinitromethanide, was first prepared in 1884 by reduction of bromodinitromethane using hydrogen sulfide as its potassium salt. Several years later, the neutral dinitromethane compound was prepared by reacting potassium dinitromethanide with hydrogen fluoride and diethyl ether. Free dinitromethane was previously understood to be a pale, yellow oil that decomposed rapidly at ambient temperatures. Several other synthetic methods for producing various dinitromethanide salts were later reported.
The transportation of dinitromethane is forbidden by the U.S. Department of Transportation.