Nitrogen-oxygen compounds nitrites

Several other reactions of nitrogen-oxygen compounds have been studied mechanistically. There is an account of the oxidation of nitrite ion to nitrate ion by hypochlorite in aqueous basic solution (pH 11) and by chlorite in mildly acid aqueous solution (pH 5). The rate laws are similar,... 

Most nitrates decompose on heating, but here the decomposition is somewhat more complicated. Dissociation into oxides and N205 does not occur because the latter compound further splits into lower oxides of nitrogen and oxygen. The alkali-metal nitrates decompose into nitrites and oxygen. Thus... 

When nitrites and nitrates are thermally decomposed, nitrogen, oxygen, and their compounds are produced. A literature survey produces the following list of substances which appear in one or another decomposition 02, N2, NO, N02, N203, N204, N205. Which of these compounds are produced in any specific case depends on the salt, temperature, and experimental conditions. Since reactions between these compounds occur quite readily, thermodynamic functions for them have been listed (Tables 5.1 to 5.8). The matter of reactions between all these compounds is somewhat complicated, because several of them are thermodynamically quite unfavorable and thus do not need to be considered. On that basis the following conclusions can be drawn ... 

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