This disclosure shows the ability of a readily-available oxidizer to achieve oxidation of 5-amino-1H-tetrazole (5-AT) to 5-nitrotetrazole (5-NT) in high yields in a single pot synthesis. This strategy reduces the synthesis of this important energetic material down to a single step and eliminates highly sensitive diazonium and copper salt primary explosive intermediates. The overall yield of this process is 48-53% and the resultant aqueous solution of product effectively used for the preparation of nitrotetrazole-containing primary explosive DBX-1. Unlike current methods of nitrotetrazole preparation, the novel method is entirely solution-based and prepares a final solution of sodium nitrotetrazolate, never once needing to handle energetic intermediates or products, making it a much safer method of nitrotetrazole preparation.