A new scheme is introduced for calculating detonation temperature of different classes of high explosives. The ratio of oxygen to carbon and hydrogen to oxygen as well as specific structural parameters are the fundamental factors in the new method. An empirical new correlation is used to calculate detonation temperature of energetic compounds without considering heat contents of explosives and detonation products. Calculated detonation temperatures for both pure and explosive formulations show good agreement with respect to measured detonation temperatures and complicated computer code using BKWR and BKWS equations of state. Predicted detonation temperatures have root-mean-square (rms) percent deviation of 4.6, 14.2 and 4.6 from measured values for new method, BKWR and BKWS equations of state, respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.