8.2: Reaction Chemistry of Nitrogen
- Page ID
- 212659
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Despite nitrogen being the inert component of the Earth’s atmosphere, dinitrogen undergoes a range of reactions, although it only reacts with a few reagents under standard temperature and pressure. Nitrogen reacts with oxygen in an electric arc, (8.2.1), both in the laboratory and within lightening strikes.
\[ \text{N}_2\text{ + O}_2\rightarrow\text{2 NO}\]
The synthesis of ammonia is accomplished by the Harber process, using an iron oxide (Fe3O4) catalyst, (8.2.2), at about 500 °C and 200 atmospheres pressure.
\[ \text{N}_2\text{ + 3 H}_2 \rightarrow \text{2 NH}_3 \]
Nitrogen reacts with lithium metal at room temperature to form the nitride, (8.2.3). Magnesium also burns in nitrogen, forming magnesium nitride, (8.2.4).
\[\text{6 Li + N}_2 \rightarrow \text{2 Li}_3\text{N}\]
\[ \text{3 Mg + N}_2 \rightarrow \text{Mg}_3\text{N}_2\]
Nitrogen forms complexes with transition metals yielding nitrogeno complexes, (8.2.5). Under some conditions these complexes react to give ammonia, (8.2.6), and as such may give a hint to the action of nitrogenase in which molybdenum in the active site.
\[\text{[(NH}_3\text{)}_5\text{Ru}^{II}\text{(H}_2\text{O)]}^{2+}\text{ + N}_2 \rightarrow \text{[(NH}_3\text{)}_5\text{Ru}^{II}\text{(N}_2\text{)]}^{2+}\]
\[\text{[W(N}_2\text{)}_2\text{(PR}_3\text{)}_4\text{]} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4\text{/MeOH}} \text{2 NH}_3\text{ + N}_2 \uparrow \text{ + W}^{VI}\text{ compounds}\]