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 compounds are organometallic compounds containing carbon–silicon bonds. Organosilicon chemistry is the corresponding science of their preparation and properties. Most organosilicon compounds are similar to the ordinary organic c ...

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 is ch ...

. Isomeric with tetrazine is

ammonium azide Ammonium azide is the chemical compound with the formula , being the salt of ammonia and hydrazoic acid. Like other inorganic azides, this colourless crystalline salt is a powerful explosive, although it has a remarkably low sensitivity. is physi ...

Tetrazene explosive Tetrazene (1-(5-tetrazolyl)-3-guanyl tetrazene hydrate) is an explosive material used for sensitization of priming compositions. It is a derivative of the compound with the IUPAC name tetrazene. Tetrazene is slightly more impact-sensitive than ...

, commonly known simply as tetrazene, is used for sensitization of

priming composition An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An expl ...

Properties

Tetrazene has eleven

isomer In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers. Is ...

s. The most stable of these is the straight-chain 2-tetrazene (H₂-NN=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.

Tautomer Tautomers () are structural isomers (constitutional isomers) of chemical compounds that readily interconvert. The chemical reaction interconverting the two is called tautomerization. This conversion commonly results from the relocation of a hy ...

izations do occur between the isomers. The ionic compound

is also a constitutional isomer of tetrazene.

Organometallic derivatives

A variety of

coordination complex A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as '' ligands'' or complexing agents. M ...

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

References

Nitrogen hydrides {{Hydrides by group