Stoicheiometric and nitrogen-15 labelling studies on the hyponitrous acid–nitrous acid reaction

Abstract

The stoicheiometry of the hyponitrous acid–nitrous acid reaction has been determined over a wide acidity range, up to 8.5 mol dm^–3 HClO₄. For approximately 1 : 1 reaction conditions, the major reaction pathway gives N₂ and HNO₃ as products, together with the production of N₂O (by self decomposition of hyponitrous acid) and NO (by self decomposition of nitrous acid). In addition, ¹⁵NO produced by self decomposition of H¹⁵NO₂ reacts with H₂¹⁴N₂O₂ to give some ¹⁴NO and N₂O of mixed isotopic composition. Reactions under other conditions gave products that may be accounted for by varying contributions from these reactions.