Reactions with Water and Hydroxide Solution

Nitrogen trifluoride is virtually inert to chemical attack by water at 133°C [1 ]. Another source [2] reports that 1.5% of NF3 reacted according to the equation NF3 + 2 HgO 3 HF + HNO2 when a mixture of 23 mL of H2O and 0.40 g of NF3 was heated to 100 C for 7 d. However, slow hydrolysis occurs at 100°C by aqueous hydroxide solution to give nitrite and fluoride while concentrated NaOH (12N) reacts only very slowly with NF3 [1]. Nitrogen trifluoride is also hydrolyzed very slowly by aqueous ferric chloride solution at 100 C. FeCl3 acts as a hydrolysis 

A gaseous mixture of 740Torr NF3 and ISTorr HgO (2 mol%) could not be ignited when exposed to an electric discharge [3], in contrast to previous reports, see Fluor Erg.-Bd. 1, 1959, p. 244. 

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