Tetrazene is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

with the molecular formula H₂NN=NNH₂. It is a colorless explosive material. An analogue is the

organosilicon Organosilicon chemistry is the study of organometallic compounds containing carbon–silicon bonds, to which they are called organosilicon compounds. Most organosilicon compounds are similar to the ordinary organic compounds, being colourless, f ...

derivative (tms)₂NN=NN(tms)₂ where tms is

trimethylsilyl A trimethylsilyl group (abbreviated TMS) is a functional group in organic chemistry. This group consists of three methyl groups bonded to a silicon atom minus;Si(CH3)3 which is in turn bonded to the rest of a molecule. This structural group i ...

. Isomeric with tetrazine is ammonium azide. Tetrazene explosive, commonly known simply as tetrazene, is used for sensitization of priming compositions.

Properties

Tetrazene has eleven

isomer In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formula – that is, the same number of atoms of each element (chemistry), element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. ''Isomerism'' refers to the exi ...

s. The most stable of these is the straight-chain 2-tetrazene (H₂N-N=N-NH₂), having a standard heat of formation at 301.3 kJ/mol. The eleven isomers can be arranged into three groups: straight-chain tetrazenes, four-membered cyclotetrazane, and three-membered cyclotriazanes. Each straight-chain tetrazene isomer possesses one N=N double bond and two N-N single bonds. Tautomerizations do occur between the isomers. The ionic compound ammonium azide is also a constitutional isomer of tetrazene.

Organometallic derivatives

A variety of

coordination complex A coordination complex is a chemical compound consisting of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of chemical bond, bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ' ...

es are known for R₂N₄^2- (R = methyl, benzyl).

References

{{Hydrides by group Nitrogen hydrides