Calcium nitride
Template:Chembox Calcium nitride is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca3N2.[1] It exists in various forms (isomorphs), α-calcium nitride being more commonly encountered.
Structure
α-Calcium nitride adopts an anti-bixbyite structure, similar to Mn2O3, except that the positions of the ions are reversed: calcium (Ca2+) take the oxide (O2−) positions and nitride ions (N3−) the manganese (Mn3+). In this structure, Ca2+ occupies tetrahedral sites, and the nitride centres occupy two different types of octahedral sites.[2]
Synthesis and reactions
Calcium nitride is formed along with the oxide, CaO, when calcium burns in air. It can be produced by direct reaction of the elements:[3]
- 3 Ca + N2 → Ca3N2
It reacts with water or even the moisture in air to give ammonia and calcium hydroxide:[4]
- Ca3N2 + 6 H2O → 3 Ca(OH)2 + 2 NH3
Like sodium oxide, calcium nitride absorbs hydrogen above 350 °C:
- Ca3N2 + 2 H2 → 2 CaNH + CaH2
General references
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Wells, A.F. (1984) Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Template:ISBN.
- ↑ P. Ehrlich “Calcium, Strontium, Barium Nitrides Ca3N2, Sr3N2, Ba3N2” in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry, 2nd Ed. Edited by G. Brauer, Academic Press, 1963, NY. Vol. 1. p. 940-1.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".