Why is TNT 2,4,6-tnt?

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene is a yellow, odorless solid that does not occur naturally in the environment. It is commonly known as TNT and is an explosive used in military shells, bombs, and grenades, in industrial uses, and in underwater blasting. 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene production in the United States occurs solely at military arsenals. read more

When we talk about TNT, we talk about the substance 1-methyl-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene. As you can see, the 2, 4 and 6 from your "2,4,6 TNT" are the result of the NO2 sidegroups places at positions 2, 4 and 6 on the benzene ring, following the IUPAC nomenclature. read more

Because TNT has an excess of carbon, explosive mixtures with oxygen-rich compounds can yield more energy per kilogram than TNT alone. During the 20th century, amatol, a mixture of TNT with ammonium nitrate was a widely used military explosive. TNT can be detonated with a high velocity initiator or by efficient concussion. read more