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Title: Pulse radiolysis of aqueous hydrazine solutions. The triazene species. [Gamma radiation]

Journal Article · · J. Phys. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100470a006· OSTI ID:6232368

Pulse radiolysis of aqueous hydrazine solutions has been studied in the pH range 2 to 13. At times greater than about 1 ms after the pulse, a single transient species is observed (lambda/sub max/230nm). This species decayed by first-order kinetics under all conditions studied. A mechanism which accounts satisfactorily for the observed kinetic behavior is proposed. This species, identified as triazene (N/sub 3/H/sub 3/) is amphiprotic and the following acid--base equilibria are rapidly established: N/sub 3/H/sub 4//sup +/in equilibrium N/sub 3/H/sub 3//sup +/H/sup +/ (pK/sub 1/ = 4.95, ..delta..H/sub 1//sup 0/ = -4.9 kcal mol/sup -1/, ..delta..S/sub 1//sup 0/ = -39.2 eu) N/sub 3/H/sub 3/in equilibrium N/sub 3/H/sub 2//sup -/ + H/sup +/ or N/sub 3/H/sub 3/ + OH/sup -/ = N/sub 3/H/sub 4/O/sup -/ (pK/sub 2/ = 11.37, ..delta..H/sub 2//sup 0/ = -4.2 kcal mol/sup -1/, ..delta..S/sub 2//sup 0/ = -67 eu). pK values derived from the dependence of the first-order rate constant on pH, from the dependence of initial absorbance on pH, and from the dependence of the first-order rate constant on temperature at selected values of pH are in satisfactory agreement. The rate constants for decomposition of the acidic and basic forms of triazene are k/sub N3H4/sup +// = 1.97 X 10/sup 11/ exp(-12600/RT)s/sup -1/ and k/sub N3H2/sup -// = 2.14 X 10/sup 14/. exp(-19200/RT)s/sup -1/. For N/sub 3/H/sub 3/, which is stable relative to the faster reaction rates of its conjugate acid and base forms, k is estimated to be less than or equal to 0.001 s/sup -1/ at 24/sup 0/C. The dependence of the observed first-order rate constant on pH at constant temperature is expressed by the following equation: k/sub obsd/ = (k/sub 3//(1 + (K/sub 1//(H/sup +/)))) + (k;/sub 4//(1 + ((H/sup +/)/K/sub 2/))) (k/sub 3/ = k/sub N3H4/sup +// = 133 s/sup -1/, k/sub 4/ = k/sub N3H2/sup -// = 2 s/sup -1/, pK/sub 1/ = 4.9/sub 5/ and pK/sub 2/ = 11.3/sub 7/). Phosphate is a catalyst for the decomposition of triazene. It is shown that the conjugate acid of neutral triazene has unit positive charge and its conjugate base has unit negative charge.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY
OSTI ID:
6232368
Journal Information:
J. Phys. Chem.; (United States), Vol. 83:7
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English