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| Nitrogen trichloride | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Other names | Trichloramine Agene® Nitrogen(III) chloride Trichloroazane |
| Molecular formula | NCl3 |
| Molar mass | 120.36 g/mol |
| Appearance | yellow oily liquid |
| CAS number | * |
| Properties | |
| Density and phase | 1.635 g/mL, liquid |
| Solubility in water | Immiscible slowly decomposes |
| Melting point | -40 °C (233 K) |
| Boiling point | 71 °C (344 K) |
| Viscosity | ? mPa·s at ? °C |
| Structure | |
| Molecular shape | trigonal pyramidal |
| Bond length | 175.3 pm (N–Cl) |
| Bond angle | 107.78° (Cl–N–Cl) |
| Dipole moment | ? D |
| Thermodynamic data | |
| Standard enthalpy of formation ΔfH°solid | +232 kJ/mol |
| Standard molar entropy S°solid | ? J.K−1.mol−1 |
| Safety data | |
| EU classification | not listed |
| NFPA 704 | nfpa_f3_ox.pngnfpa_r4.png|
| Explosive limits | explosive liquid |
| RTECS number | QW974000 |
| Related compounds | |
| Other anions | Nitrogen trifluoride Nitrogen tribromide Nitrogen triiodide |
| Other cations | Phosphorus trichloride Arsenic trichloride |
| Related chloramines | Chloramine Dichloramine |
| Related compounds | Nitrosyl chloride |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Chemical infobox | |
Nitrogen trichloride, also known as trichloramine, is a yellow, oily, pungent-smelling liquid, often found as a byproduct of chemical reactions between nitrogen-containing compounds and chlorine. When purified, it is highly unstable, decomposing in the presence of light or water, usually in less than 24 hours. Purified nitrogen trichloride explodes on contact with organic compounds or catalytic surfaces, by impacts and shock waves, or by self-heating during its decomposition. Bubbling chlorine gas through a solution of ammonium nitrate (and other ammonium salts) yields yellow droplets of nitrogen trichloride.
Nitrogen trichloride is a very strong explosive; an explosion involving it blinded Sir Humphry Davy temporarily, and forced him to take on Michael Faraday as a worker. This was in part because some of Davy's junior lab workers had recently been fired for fighting. Nitrogen trichloride is incredibly sensitive; it will explode upon exposure to cold or hot temperatures, sunlight, or organic substances such as turpentine.
Nitrogen trichloride was trademarked as Agene and used to artificially bleach and age flour.
Nitrogen trichloride may be formed in small amounts when public water supplies are disinfected with monochloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia.
In 2003, Belgian researchers reported a possible link between NCl3 and rising numbers of childhood asthma cases. It also causes severe brain damage.
References
- Cazzoli, G.; Favero, P. G.; & Borgo, A. D. (1974). J. Mol. Spectra 50: 82.
- Jander, J. (1976). Adv. Inorg. Chem. Radiochem. 19: 2.
External links
"Nitrogen trichloride"
