Cupric amminoazide

Cupric Amminoazide (Ammoniate of Copper Azide), Diammine copper azide, [Cu(NHj)a] (Nj)a, mw 181.65, N 61.69% green crysrs, expl when heated or struck. Obtained by Dennis Isham (Ref 2) by shaking freshly pptd black cupric hydroxide, while still moist, with ao excess of hydrazoic acid, and washing and dissolving the ppt in aq ammonia. This compd was also prepd by Browne et al (Ref 6) and studied by Strecker Schwinn (Ref 8) and by Straumanis Cirulis (Ref 11) (See also Ref 21, p 149 and Table D under Ammines in this dictionary). Tetrammine copper azide, [Cu(NHs),](N3)a, mw 215.72, N 64.90%, blue crysts, expl at 202° and on impact. Prepd by Strecker Schwinn (Ref 8) and by Straumanis Cirulis (Ref 11) from cupric azide and NHS, (either liq or the dry gas). Only the di- and tetrammino- compds were prepd, (See also Ref 21, p 149 and Table D under Ammines)... 

F. Martin gave 174° for the temp, of explosion. According to L. Wohler and W. Krupko, basic cupric azide, cupric oxyazide, CuO.CuNg, is formed as a yellow hydrated substance when water with normal cupric azide in suspension is heated to 70°-80° in a current of air freed from carbon dioxide until the calculated quantity of hydrazoic acid has been evolved. It inflames at 245°. L. M. Dennis and H. Isham obtained cupric amminoazide,Cu(NHg)Ns,by shaking freshly precipitated black cupric hydroxide, while still moist, with an excess of hydrazoic acid and washed the precipitate. A soln. of the precipitate in aq. ammonia deposits crystals of the salt. It explodes when heated or struck. It is insoluble in water, and soluble in dil. acids,... 

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