Kinetic and product study of the reaction between nitrous acid and hydrazine

Abstract

The reaction between nitrous acid and hydrazine is a normal N-nitrosation reaction, and does not involve oxidation at NH₂NH₂ to N₂H₂ as previously postulated. The N-nitrosohydrazine decomposes by two parallel routes, to HN₃ at high acidities and to ammonia and N₂O at low acidities. An intermediate in the decomposition has been detected spectrophotometrically. Revised values are provided for the relative reactivity of some nucleophiles to nitrosating agents, and the relation between reactivity and charge in nitrosation reactions is discussed.