Chemistry:Ammonium azide

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Ammonium azide
Names
IUPAC name
Ammonium azide
Other names
Ammonium trinitride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
EC Number
  • 235-315-4
Properties
[NH
4
]N
3
Molar mass 60.060 g·mol−1
Appearance Colorless or white crystalline solid
Odor Odorless
Density 1.3459 g/cm3
Melting point 160[1] °C (320 °F; 433 K)
Boiling point 400 °C (752 °F; 673 K) (decomposes)
20.2 g/100 mL (30 °C)[1]
Solubility Insoluble in diethyl ether and benzene[2]
Solubility in methanol 3.3 g/100 mL (20 °C)[2]
Solubility in ethanol 1.06 g/100 mL (20 °C)[2]
Structure[3]
Orthorhombic
Pman
a = 8.930, b = 8.642, c = 3.800
4
Thermochemistry[1]
112.5 J/(mol·K)
115.5 kJ/mol
274.2 kJ/mol
Hazards
Main hazards Very toxic, explosive
Related compounds
Other anions
Other cations
Related compounds
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Ammonium azide is the chemical compound with the formula [[[Chemistry:Nitrogen|N]]H
4
]N
3
, being the salt of ammonia and hydrazoic acid. Like other inorganic azides, this colourless crystalline salt is a powerful explosive, although it has a remarkably low sensitivity. [NH
4
]N
3
is physiologically active and inhalation of small amounts causes headaches and palpitations. It was first obtained by Theodor Curtius in 1890, along with other azides.

Structure

Ammonium azide is ionic, meaning it is a salt consisting of ammonium cations [NH
4
]+
and azide anions N
3
, therefore its formula is [NH
4
]+
[N
3
]
. It is a structural isomer of tetrazene. Ammonium azide contains about 93% nitrogen by mass.

Preparation

There are two major methods of producing ammonium azide. Small quantities (grams) of ammonium azide are produced by bubbling ammonia gas through a solution of hydrazoic acid in diethyl ether:[2]

NH3 + HN3 → [NH4]N3

Larger quantities are produced by the reaction of sodium azide and ammonium chloride in dimethylformamide at 100 °C.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Haynes, William M.; Lide, David R.; Bruno, Thomas J. (2014). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 95th Edition (95th ed.). CRC Press. ISBN 9781482208689. OCLC 908078665. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Frierson, W. J.; Filbert, W. F. (1946). "Ammonium Azide". Inorganic Syntheses. 2. Wiley. p. 136–138. doi:10.1002/9780470132333.ch39. ISBN 978-0-470-13161-9. 
  3. Frevel, Ludo K. (1 January 1936). "The Crystal Structure of Ammonium Azide, NH4N3". Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials 94 (1–6): 197. doi:10.1524/zkri.1936.94.1.197. 
  4. Evans, B. L.; Yoffe, A. D.; Gray, Peter (1959). "Physics And Chemistry Of The Inorganic Azides". Chemical Reviews 59 (4): 515–568. doi:10.1021/cr50028a001. ISSN 0009-2665. 

Further reading