Reactions of O atoms with nitrogen compounds

1 REACTIONS OF O ATOMS WITH NITROGEN COMPOUNDS 5.1.1 Reaction of O atoms with NH3 

Harteck and Kopsch , in their pioneering studies of the reactions of O atoms produced in a discharge flow system, reported on the reaction with ammonia. The reaction was very slow, and the products included nitrous oxide and a yellow solid which was collected at liquid air temperatures but exploded spontaneously. 

Moore et studied the reactions of O atoms with NH3 and N2H4 in atomic flames. The emission observed from the NH3 + O flame was very weak compared 

Avramenko et examined the reaction in an electrical discharge flow sys- 

In their later work , they examined the reaction in more detail. In some of their experiments they produced their O atoms by the N + NO reaction, so that they could study the O + NH3 reaction in the absence of molecular oxygen. They found the presence of O2 did not affect the rate of O atom consumption. In these experiments, they found that although H2 was a detectable minor product, H was not. There were no N-containing products other than NO. The other products were O2 and H2O. By measuring the ratios of O atoms consumed to NH3 consumption, and NO, O2, and H2 production, they were able to obtain the stoichiometry of the reaction. They found the overall reaction could be written 

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