THE REACTION OF ACTIVE NITROGEN WITH HYDROGEN BROMIDE

Abstract

The reaction of active nitrogen with hydrogen bromide was found to produce bromine and ammonium bromide as the main products, along with traces of compounds tentatively identified as bromamine, NH2Br, and bromimine, NHBr2. Hydrogen abstraction from hydrogen bromide by nitrogen atoms, imine and amine radicals can account for ammonia formation. Considerable catalysis of nitrogen atom recombination by hydrogen bromide appears to occur. A resonance transfer of the electronic energy responsible for the nitrogen afterglow to bromine with a resultant bromine emission spectrum is proposed to account for the orange reaction flame.