Beyond molecular N2, higher allotropes of nitrogen are significant for creating high-energy-density materials due to their considerable energy release upon dissociation into nitrogen gas. However, these allotropes face immense challenges due to instability, particularly uncharged forms with even electron counts. Only two allotropes, the azide radical (*N3) and N4, have been observed, and many theoretical models propose other allotropes. The low dissociation barriers and quantum mechanical tunneling also complicate the stabilization and study of these nitrogen species.
The exploration of molecular nitrogen allotropes beyond N2 is crucial for developing high-energy-density materials, as these allotropes release significant energy upon reverting to gaseous N2.
Higher nitrogen allotropes are deemed highly unstable, with only two previously reported examples, highlighting the extreme challenges in synthesizing and characterizing such compounds.
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