Explosophores are functional groups in organic chemistry that give organic compounds explosive properties.
The term was first coined by Russian chemist V. Pletz in 1935[1] and originally mistranslated in some articles as plosophore[citation needed]. Also of note is an auxoexplose concept (similar to chromophore and auxochrome concept), which is a group that modifies the explosive capability of the molecule. The term explosophore has been used more frequently after its use in books such as Organic Chemistry of Explosives by J. Agrawal and R. Hodgson (2007)'.[citation needed]
Nitrogen-containing explosophores (groups I, II and III below) are particularly strong because in addition to providing oxygen they react to form molecular nitrogen, which is a very stable molecule, and thus the overall reaction is strongly exothermic. The gas formed also expands, causing the shock wave which is observed.
Pletz grouped the explosophores into eight distinct categories.[2][3]