Decomposition of hydrazoic acid in nitric acid

Abstract

Hydrazoic acid in solution in nitric acid at 97 °C decomposes to form a mixture of N₂, N₂O, and NO. The reaction is strongly acid catalysed and the kinetics of decomposition are first order with respect to hydrazoic acid concentration. The mechanism proposed involves electrophilic attack by NO₂⁺ on hydrazoic acid to form N₃ONO, which can then fragment to N₂+ 2NO˙ or dissociate to N₃˙+ NO₂˙. Dinitrogen monoxide is thought to arise from the reaction sequence: 2NO₂˙→ N₂O₄; N₂O₄+ HN₃→ N₃NO + HNO₃; N₃NO → N₂+ N₂O.