[1] The compound's primary hazard is a blast of an instantaneous explosion, not flying projectiles or fragments.

[3][4] Trinitroanisole can be prepared by the reaction of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene with methanol in the presence of sodium hydroxide followed by the nitration of the resulting product.

Alternatively, it can be prepared directly by the reaction of picryl chloride with methanol in the presence of sodium hydroxide.

[1] Historically, trinitroanisole was used as a military explosive (e.g., Japanese Type 91 or German Trinol), having the advantage of being made from readily obtainable raw materials such as phenol.

However, due to its toxicity and tendency to form picric acid and dangerous picrate salts, its use has largely been abandoned.