Magnesium nitride reaction with water

The magnesium nitride [12057-71 -5] produced does not form a stable film. If sufficient nitrogen is present this reaction can be self-sustaining. The nitride produced can react with water to form ammonia [7664-41 -7]. 

As we shall see later, borides (as well as oxides, nitrides, carbides, etc.) react with water to produce a hydrogen compound of the nonmetal. Thus, the reaction of magnesium boride with water might be expected to produce BH3, borane, but instead the product is B2ff6, diborane (m.p. -165.5 °C, b.p. -92.5 °C). This interesting covalent hydride has the structure... 

When the reaction terminates (how can you determine this ), cool the apparatus in a stream of ammonia. Disconnect the two-neck bottle and use a water-jet pump to remove the ammonia from the apparatus. Extract the boat and put it into a weighing bottle for boats or into a test tube closed with a stopper. Weigh it. Determine the yield of magnesium nitride. 

Deuterio-ammonia was synthesized by means of the reaction between heavy water and magnesium nitride, with subsequent drying by potassium amide (Landsberg et al., 1956). Compounds containing deuterium in a specific position were obtained either by deuterium exchange or by organic synthesis (Shatenshtein and Izrailevich, 1957). 

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