Reactions of Hydrogen Atoms with Hydrazine, Ammonia, and Nitrous Oxide

Abstract

Reactions of hydrogen atoms with hydrazine, ammonia, and nitrous oxide have been investigated in a flow system employing a mass spectrometer for the measurements of the steady‐state concentrations of the gases. It is shown that reaction with hydrazine proceeds through the mechanism: $$\begin{array}{cc}{\mathrm{N}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4+\mathrm{H}={\mathrm{H}}_2+{\mathrm{N}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_3,& k_1{\text{=3.5×10}}^{11}{e}^{\text{−2000/RT}}{\mathrm{mole}}^{\text{−1}}{\mathrm{cc\; sec}}^{\text{−1}};\\ 2{\mathrm{N}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_3\text{=2}{\mathrm{NH}}_3+{\mathrm{N}}_2,& k_2{\text{⩾3×10}}^{12}\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{mole}}^{\text{−1}}{\mathrm{cc\; sec}}^{\text{−1}}(\mathrm{at}{\text{\hspace{0.17em}150}}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}\mathrm{).}\end{array}$$ The mechanism of the reactions of hydrogen atoms with ammonia or nitrous oxide was not elucidated but the rate of the processes H+NH₃ and H+N₂O can be estimated to be about 10⁷ mole^—1cc sec^—1 at 150°C.