The title compound 4,10-dinitro-2,6,8,12-tetraoxa-4,10-diazatetracyclo[5.5.0.0(5,9)0(3,11)]-dodecane - often referred to as TEX - is a very promising newcomer in the field of insensitive explosives. It is easily synthesized with good yield from cheap starting materials. TEX offers a respectable high ambient temperature crystal density (1.985 g cm(-3)) and hence good detonation velocity and pressure but is fairly insensitive towards mechanical and thermal stimuli. It has a large critical diameter and is advantageously used in large charges. 76 references to the public domain are given.